scabies

今日は医学用語を取り上げます。

“scabies”という単語ですが、さてどんな症状の病気でしょうか？


LAFAYETTE, Georgia — A Georgia nursing home resident who died from a scabies infestation is believed to have been eaten alive over the course of months or years.

According to a pending lawsuit filed by the family, 93-year-old Rebecca Zeni died in 2015 from scabies at the facility. The autopsy report shows the cause of death as “septicemia due to crusted scabies.” State health officials were notified about a scabies outbreak at the nursing home multiple times, but did not inspect the LaFayette, Ga. facility.

（中略）

Scabies is a painful, but treatable skin condition caused when parasitic mites burrow into your skin, lay eggs and survive off of your body.
(Former model eaten alive by scabies in Georgia nursing home. USA Today. April 29, 2018.)


引用の最後の部分を読んでいただくと分かりますが、”scabies”というのは皮膚症状で、疥癬という名称の病気です。

ダニが皮膚に寄生することで酷い痒みが生じます。

スペルが複数形のように見えますが、単複同形の名詞です。語源は、擦るという意味のラテン語動詞scabereから来ています。

瘡蓋（かさぶた）を意味する名詞の”scab”や、形容詞”scabby”も同様です。