December 1986, Vol. 25, No.

10

Report

Human Notoedric Scabies From Contact With Cats

Infested With Notoedres cati

AMALENDU CHAKRABARTJ, M . V . S C , PH.D.

From the Department of Veterinary Clinics, Faculty of been reported in 18.5% of cats in urban and rural areas
Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Bidhan Chandra Krishi of West Bengal,* but there has been no report of trans-
Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, India
mission of cat scabies in man in Indian literature. This
communication places on record a study of 48 people
who contracted notoedric scabies from N. cat/'-infested
cats. This is the first report of such transmission.
ABSTRACT: Forty-eight human contacts with cats infested
with Notoedres cati were investigated; 30 (62.5%) of the
Materials and Methods
contacts showed symptoms of notoedric scabies, and N. cati
mites were recovered from 15 (50%) skin specimens. Intense Following casual detection of N. cati in a 1-year-old male
pruritus without any mite burrows developed within a few cat presented in the clinics of the Faculty of Veterinary and
hours of initial contact with the infested cats. People within Animal Sciences, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya,
the age group of 26-35 years were frequently infested. Hands West Bengal, a survey was undertaken in the residential area
and legs were the most common sites of lesions. Prolonged of the owner, located in a semiurban area of South Calcutta.
Forty-eight human beings who were in contact with cats (18
association with the infested cats was responsible for this
men, 30 women) were investigated for the clinical signs of
cutaneous disease. The lesions in infested people subsided notoedric scabies and for the presence of mites, if any. Rel-
when the cats were segregated from huinans. evant information such as distribution of age, sex, site of
lesions, and occupation were recorded from the subjects.

M ariy species of mites have been reported to be

transmitted from domestic animals to man, but
only Sarcoptes scabiei of canines and their feline acar-
The skin scrapings were obtained by blunt scalpel or needle.
Collected materials were placed iri 10% KOH solution on
glass slides for examination. Mites were identified based on
ine counterpart Notoedres cati have been found to be micromorphologic characteristics.'
transmitted frequently to human beings.' Outbreaks
of anirinal or sarcoptic scabies in man are not infre- Results
quent through contact with domestic or pet animals.^ Clinical Profiles
Cattle, horses, mules, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, and
cats have all been reported as reservoirs of Sarcoptes The lesions were characterized by hyperemia and
mites for man.^ papulovesicular eruptions without any evidence of
Notoedres cati infestation (notoedric scabies) is rare parasitic burrows. Papular lesions were excoriated in
in Britain,"* but in countries like Czechoslovakia and most cases. Eczematous lesions also were observed.
Japan it is common, and cat or notoedric scabies in Pruritus developed within a few hours of initial contact
man is seen more frequently than the dog sarcoptic with the infested cats. The distribution differed from
scabies.^'^ Family or household outbreak of cat scabies human scabies as the lesions spared the interdigital
in man also has been reported.'' webs and the genitalia.
In India, scabies is prevalent in various domestic and
pet animals, including the cat. Notoedres scabies has Infestation Rate

Thirty (62.5%) of the 48 contacts showed clinical

manifestation of scabies. Clinical signs appeared in 10
(55.5%) of 18 men and 20 (66.6%) of 30 women.
Address correspondence to: Amalendu Chakrabarti, M.V.Sc,
Ph.D., Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Bidhan Chandra N. cati mites were recovered in 15 (50%) of 30 skin
Krishi Viswavidyalaya, P.O. 741 252, Nadia, West Bengal, India. scrapings.

646
No. 10 HUMAN NOTOEDRIC SCABIES Chakrabarti 647

TABLE 1. Age Distribution in 15 Positive Human Cases Who (53.33%) were males and 14 (46.66%) were females;
Developed Notoedric Scabies Lesions
83.33% (25 of 30) ofthe cats were within 6-23 months
Total No. of age group.
N. cati Recovered of People
Age Croup Infested With Occupational Exposure
(Vears) Men Women Notoedric Scabies
All the contacts were engaged in the candlemakirig
6-15 0(0) 1 (11.11) 1 (6.67)
business in the same house where 35 cats were reared.
16-25 1 (16.67) 3 (33.33) 4 (26.67)
25-35 2 (33.32) 3 (33.33) 5 (33.32) Thirty (85.71%) cats were positive for N. cati infesta-
36-45 1 (16.67) 2 (22.23) 3 (20.00) tion. Cats were kept loose and thus had the free access
46-55 1 (16.67) 0(0) 1 (6.67) to all the corners of the house.
56+ T (f6.67) 0(01 r (6.67)

6(100.00) 9(100.00) 15 (100.00) Management

Figures in parentheses indicate percentage. All the infested cats were kept iri confinement in an
isolated room. Cats were treated with 2% lime sulfur.
The lesions of all the humans subsided within 2-3
Age Distribution weeks without any scabietic treatmerit when they were
The age distribution of infested persons is shown in kept away from the exposure to cats.
Table 1.
Most of the infested persons (33.32%) belonged to Discussion
26-35-year-oid age group, followed by 16-25 In the preseht investigation, clinical lesions in the
(26.67%) and 36-45 (20.00%) age groups. human contacts differed from classic scabies lesions.
Lesions were papulovesicular without any parasitic
Distribution of Sites of Lesions mite burrows and located in the odd sites, including
Distribution of the sites of lesions is presented in the face. Pruritus was intense within a few hours of
Table 2. initial contact with infested animals. Mites have been
Hands and legs combined were the most common observed to crawl over the human skin.^° As a corollary
sites of lesions (26.67%), followed by face, hands, and to "dairy mari's itch," "cavajryman's itch,"^ "goater-
legs combined (20.00%). yman's itch,^' and "buffaloman's itch,"^^ the present
symptoms may be described as "cat handler's itch."
Infestation Rate in Cats In some contacts, pruritus was the only cardinal sign
without apparent lesions. This type of clinical condition
Out of 35 cats in the same house, 30 (85.71%) has been referred as "pseudoscabies."^^
showed clinical skin lesions. Mites were recovered Thirty (62.5%) of the 48 human contacts showed
from 100% of the skin scrapings of 30 infested cats. lesions simulating those of scabies, although N. cati
Out of the 30 Notoedres scabies-infested cats, 16 could be recovered from 15 (50%) of 30 skin scrapings.
The magnitude of this finding is a singular observation
as there is no comparable information in the medical
TABLE 2. Distribution of Sites of Lesions in 15 People literature. The contacts were mostly women who were
in Contact With Infested Cats
concerned with looking after the cats. They, more often
Sex Distribution of than the men, would hold the cats or play with them.
Lesions It has been reported that mites spread by direct contact
and human exposure results from intimate contact.^"
Sites of Lesions Men Women Total
A high infestation rate (85.71%) oi Notoedres scabies
Face 0 (0) . 1 (11.11) 1 (6.67) , in caits was observed in the present study. Cats maintain
Fingers 1 (16.66) 1 (11.11) 2 (13.33) large colonies and live loosely. The colony size also
Hands 1 (16.66) 1 (11.11) 2 (13.33) increases very quickly owing to prolific breeding. As
Thighs 1 (16.67) 1 (11.11) 2 (13.33)
Legs 1 (16.67) 0(0) 1 (6.67)
such, once a cat is infested in a particular family, the
Hand and legs 1 (16.67) 3 (33.34) 4 (26.67) disease may spread rapidly, leading to a high infestatiori
Face, hands^ and legs 1 (16.67) 2 (22.22) 3 (20.00) rate.*
Total 6 (100.00) 9(100.00) 15 (100.00)
Mites could be recovered from 50% of the skin
specimens examined. A similar observation has been
Figures in parentheses indicate percentage. reported in cases of buffalo sarcoptic scabies in
648 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY December 1986 Vol. 25

It also has been reported that sarcoptic mites are not subside within 2-3 weeks, when the exposure with
always recovered from human scabies of animal origin the infested cats is prevented.
(A. Fain, personal communication). Notoedres mites
References
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Phytophotodermatitis
Phytophotodermatitis is a characteristic dermatitis induced by exposure to plants containing
light-sensitizing compounds followed by exposure to certain activating wavelengths of ultraviolet
light. One class of phdtotoxic skin sensitizers is the furanocoumarin compounds found in various
plants including celery, parsnips, figs, parsley, and citrus fruits. These compounds are phytoalexins,
chemicals produced by plants as a response to plant disease or injury, and likely contribute to
plant disease resistance.
Human illness from contact with these chemicals has usually been reported in field workers
after contact with celery infected with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a common plant fungus. One
outbreak has recently been reported in children cutting and playing with limes at a day camp.
Two previous outbreaks have suggested that this rash also occurs in grocery workers and one
outbreak suggested but did not confirrh that exposure to unpackaged celery might be a risk factor.
.We report an extensive outbreak of phytophotodermatitis that occurred in grocery workers.
This outbreak permitted assessment ofthe role of healthy, uninfected celery in producing disease
as well as the magnitude of the problem in exposed grocery workers.—Berkley SF, Hightower
AW, Beier RC, et al. Dermatitis in grocery workers associated with high natural concentrations of
furanocoumarins in celery. Ann Intern Med / 986; 7 05:35 7-355.