Parasites forced one of the largest nursing homes in Pennsylvania to rapidly disinfect its Alzheimer’s unit and treat many of its residents.

Fifteen residents of the Gallagher Center of Saint Mary’s Home developed what doctors believe was scabies, a contagious skin infection caused by skin mites. An unknown number of staff and patients’ family members also presented with symptoms of the condition.

“We never found the organism on any patient, but based on their symptoms, we believe it was scabies,” said Dorothy Candib, MD, Saint Mary’s Home medical director.

The first outbreak was reported in the spring, though most cases were reported in June and July, Candib said. The first patient was treated by a dermatologist, but other cases followed.

Carla Slomski and several members of her family developed the disease after visiting their father, Thomas Piotrowicz, who was a resident in the Gallagher unit until his death April 30.

They each had small, red bumps on their legs, armpits or groin — the disease’s telltale mark.“I got it, my mom got it, my sister got it, and my brother has it,” Slomski said. “His doctor and my mom’s doctor both said it was skin mites.”

– by Gene J. Koprowski, Editorial Director

Scabies outbreak. Photo courtesy of Stanford University Medical School.

Posted: August 20th, 2008 under Diseases, Scabies.
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