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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Long Do The Mites Live In Sheets And Blankets?

My mother stayed in our Sleep Number bed and then found that she had scabies. I have washed the sheets and put the blankets outside in a plastic bag for 48 hours as directed by the Doctor, but I worried about the cloth mattress. No one has slept on the bed for a week. Do the mites have to have a body to stay alive? How long do they live in sheets and blankets?
Mon, 21 Apr 2014
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Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about this bugs that you found on your bed. It must have been difficult to cope with. Scabies bugs survive best in the body and that is why contact is necessary for infection. I am sure they are no longer present after sunning for i48 hours and storing the bed for a week. Also, you can treat the bed with permethrin to make sure they are all destroyed before you go sleeping there again. Washing and disinfecting all linen would also be a great idea.

I hope you find this helpful. I wish you well and feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
Dr. Ivo, MD.
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How Long Do The Mites Live In Sheets And Blankets?

Hi and thank you so much for this query. I am so sorry to hear about this bugs that you found on your bed. It must have been difficult to cope with. Scabies bugs survive best in the body and that is why contact is necessary for infection. I am sure they are no longer present after sunning for i48 hours and storing the bed for a week. Also, you can treat the bed with permethrin to make sure they are all destroyed before you go sleeping there again. Washing and disinfecting all linen would also be a great idea. I hope you find this helpful. I wish you well and feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be. Dr. Ivo, MD.