JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly 350 students living Osprey Cove Buildings T and V at the University of North Florida have been warned that they might have been exposed to scabies.
As of Thursday afternoon, the university said 13 students had already received treatment.
Scabies is a skin condition that leads to intense itching and pimple-like skin rashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Students in the two on-campus dorms were sent a letter notifying them there was a chance they could have been exposed.
The university recommends students in those buildings wash all bedding, clothing and towels.
Scabies is spread through skin-to-skin contact, but it cannot survive more than two to three days away from human skin.
Symptoms of scabies that you should be aware of:
- Intense itching, especially at night
- Pimple-like itchy rash
- Rash can include tiny blisters and scales
The symptoms may take as long as two months to develop, the CDC said. If you’ve been infected, you can spread it during this time even if you don’t have any symptoms.
Student Services said students will be contacted directly if their roommate is found to have been exposed.
If you have symptoms, it’s recommended you call Student Health Services to make an appointment.
The university is not fumigating the dorms, according to the spokesperson because it’s not recommended by the CDC. Typically, scabies die in a couple of days.