Immigrant illness: What you need to know about scabies and tuberculosis
Jul-10-2014

According to a recent claim from a Border Control union, illegal immigrants are coming into the United States with "active scabies and other illnesses," while reports have surfaced from a camp in San Antonio of a tuberculosis infection. While common in other areas of the world, these two infections aren't frequently seen in the U.S.

Scabies are a mite-type parasite that burrow under the skin, leading to itchiness and skin eruptions. Typically they're found by looking between the fingers, where they often burrow, but they can spread over the entire body.

Symptoms typically begin three to six weeks after infestation, and the disease can be treated with either oral or topical medication to kill the insects. Seven to 14 days after the first dosage, medication must be administered again to ensure the mites are eradicated.

The disease is not very common in the U.S., but has been found in homeless populations.

"It's usually associated with poor housing, poor socioeconomic status, hygiene issues; think about people living in a crowded place for a long time," Dr. Olveen Carrasquillo, an associate professor of medicine and chief of division of general internal medicine at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, told FoxNews.com.

While scabies does spread person-to-person, it's more common in populations with very close contact.

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