What Increases Your Risk

The following groups of people are at higher risk of exposure to scabies mites:

• Sexually active young adults. Close skin-to-skin contact (not specifically sexual intercourse) makes transmission of the scabies mites more likely.
• People who live or work in institutions such as nursing homes, homes for the developmentally disabled, and prisons.
• People who live in crowded conditions.
• Children from developing countries.

People who have weakened immune systems, such as HIV, and those who are unable to communicate about their physical symptoms are at risk for developing severe, difficult-to-treat cases of scabies, particularly crusted (Norwegian) scabies.