Scabies can be prevented by?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

Explanation

Scabies is an infestation caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows into the skin.
The primary mode of transmission is through close, prolonged, skin-to-skin contact, and also via fomites like contaminated clothing and bedding.
Maintaining personal hygiene, which includes regular bathing and proper laundering of personal items, directly interrupts this transmission cycle, making it the most effective preventive measure.
Key hygiene practices include avoiding the sharing of personal items and washing clothes and linens in hot water.

Option A: Isolation is a control measure for confirmed cases, especially in healthcare settings, to prevent further spread. It is not a primary prevention strategy for the general population.
Option C: Sleeping is a biological necessity and does not prevent scabies. Sharing a bed is a common way for scabies to spread.
Option D: Eating habits and diet have no direct impact on the transmission or prevention of scabies, which is an external parasitic infestation.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Prevention of communicable diseases, specifically scabies as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in educating patients, families, and communities about scabies prevention and control. This includes teaching about personal hygiene, environmental cleaning, and the importance of treating all close contacts simultaneously.
In a clinical setting, nurses must implement strict contact precautions (gown and gloves) when caring for a patient with scabies to prevent transmission to themselves and other patients.
What if? If a patient is diagnosed with crusted (Norwegian) scabies, the preventive measures become much more stringent. This form is highly contagious due to a massive number of mites. It requires immediate isolation in a private room, use of full personal protective equipment (PPE) by staff, and aggressive, often combination, treatment for the patient, along with extensive environmental decontamination.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the prevention of scabies.
Recall or determine the mode of transmission for scabies. You should know it's a parasitic infestation spread by close contact and contaminated items.
Evaluate each option based on its effectiveness in interrupting this mode of transmission.
Option A (Isolation) is a control measure, not a primary prevention method for everyone.
Option B (Maintaining personal Hygiene) directly addresses the spread through contact and contaminated items (fomites).
Options C (Sleeping) and D (Eating) are physiologically necessary but irrelevant to the transmission of an external parasite.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QACPBN8Y7IXan_whY9lESb

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 1 Part 4 p. 78-80

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart B (pp 233-449 of 464) p. 98-100

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 62-64

Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.