Scabies and the Dayton VA

In today’s Dayton Daily news, the leading non-news story was about failures at the Dayton VA. Not statistically relevant failures, not showing a real systemic series of failures (like the very real story of the dentist who was failing to properly sterilize his equipment and spreading hepatitis) but, just random whiners about their perceived lack of care.

However, one thing caught my eye:

Darrell Rodin …The self-employed handyman also claims the VA misdiagnosed a scabies infection.

via ‘They blew my trust’ | www.mydaytondailynews.com.

My father contracted scabies a few years ago- and it went misdiagnosed/mistreated as well. For almost a year, he and my mother, both struggled with the horrible itch of scabies. Considering they don’t get out much- the question of where he contracted it is still in question. He thinks a visit and overnight stay at the VA caused it, and here is another veteran complaining of the same thing.

For those of you who don’t know what scabies are-

Scabies (from Latin: scabere, “to scratch”),[1] also known colloquially as the seven-year itch,[2] is a contagious skin infection caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The mite is a tiny, and usually not directly visible, parasite which burrows under the host’s skin, which in most people causes an intense itching sensation caused by an allergic response. The infection in animals other than humans is caused by a different but related mite species, and is called sarcoptic mange.

Scabies is classified by the World Health Organization as a water-related disease.[3] The disease may be transmitted from objects, but is most often transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact, with a higher risk with prolonged contact. Initial infections require four to six weeks to become symptomatic. Reinfection, however, may manifest symptoms within as few as 24 hours. Because the symptoms are allergic, their delay in onset is often mirrored by a significant delay in relief after the parasites have been eradicated. Crusted scabies, formerly known as Norwegian scabies, is a more severe form of the infection often associated with immunosuppression.

Scabies is one of the three most common skin disorders in children, along with tinea and pyoderma.[4] As of 2010 it affects approximately 100 million people (1.5% of the world population) and is equally common in both genders.[5]

via Scabies – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

It’s not that common in older people.

Scabies is contagious and can be spread by scratching an infected area, thereby picking up the mites under the fingernails, or through physical contact with a scabies-infected person for a prolonged period of time.[15] Scabies is usually transmitted by direct skin-to-skin contact. It can also be spread through contact with other objects, such as clothing, bedding, furniture, or surfaces with which a person infected with scabies might have come in contact.[16] Scabies mites can survive without a human host for 24 to 36 hours.[17

via Scabies – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

My question is are you a veteran, who has received care from the Dayton VA over the last 3 years, who has contracted scabies? The question of reporting of infectious disease to someone like the Center For Disease Control (CDC) is being followed by the VA and if scabies is one of the tracked maladies is something I think would be useful information.

I had asked Director Costie if there had been an outbreak of scabies at the VA- and received a prompt reply of no. And while two misdiagnoses of the same illness don’t make it news- if there were a lot of other cases maybe social media via this blog can bring them out.

Please respond in comments- or by contacting me: david at elect esrati dot com

Thanks

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