Scrub Itch........aaarrrhhh!!!

[Stacky]

Scrub itch seems quite common in Cape York.

I have got it quite a few times but it doesn't effect me as severely as a lot of people (thankfully). Imagine 100 sand fly bites in an area on your body and then start scratching and don't stop for many weeks or until its treated. Very similar feeling. From what i understand it's a type of myte or lice that gets into your skin and spreads to all areas of your body. My wife gets it's bad and i think i'm the culpret bringing it home as a carrier.

What is the best preventative and cure for this?

I have been through a whole bottle of calamine lotion trying to stop my wife scratching to no effect. We've been through Tea Tree oil, every rash or dermex cream, pinetarsals and most remedies known but to no effect. We should have bought shares in a pharmacy buy now. Don't forget my wife is pregnant and is limited to what she can take.

Please help.

[dann]

As your wife is pregnant I would not know what to recommend as a cure, however take a teaspoon of kerosene each morning (or a least when your in the scrub) and you get it less. Otherwise, don't go shaking trees.

[geoffjy]

Hi Stacky,

I know exactly what you mean. I'm imune to it but my partner isnt. I recomend just wiping metho where the bites are on her skin. My partner does this and it helps lots. Pawpaw cream also works wonders on bites as well.

[xina]

Have you tried Dettol Stacky? It's usually good for bites and stings and other itches, but I have no experience of Scrub Itch, so I'm not sure it will definitely help it. Just remembered. When we went to Baffle Creek, I caught this bug that gets under your skin, and travels. It's a 'Roo bug. Used to wake at night with my foot itching so badly, I would scratch 'till it bled. The only thing I found to relieve it was a good wash with Kerosene. Used to work, and eventually the itch disappeared entirely. Won't hurt to try it. Rub it right in.
Cheers,
xina.

[plucker]

I have had bites from what I believe is a mutant sandfly that leaves welts about the size of a 5 cent piece, with swelling to boot. It does become itchy, for days, and the infection is pussy (dont think cats) and usually takes about a week to heal. They mainly bite me on the ankles, wrists and stomach which is all not exposed. WTF??
They are different to most sandflies in that you dont feel their sting, rather notice it a day or 2 later. Insect repellant is useless.
My only identification of this type of beastie is that they swarm around your head and shoulders but dont bite exposed bits.

Is this what you are talking about Stacky.

[xina]

I can't remember where I saw them now.[I think maybe a mail-order firm]. They are trousers and a long sleeved top/shirt, made of the same stuff as the fly-nets? on hats. Approx. $ 15.00 apiece. If anyone wants to know, I'll try and find the catalogue.
Cheers,
xina.

[xina]

This is way out in left field, but if nothing else works, I remember my ex. telling me, [and I've seen it in books since], that they used to rub BLUESTONE on horses that developed what I think they called Tropical Itch a lot of years ago. I'll get to the books later, and see what else I can find.
Cheers,
xina.

[plucker]

I can't remember where I saw them now.[I think maybe a mail-order firm]. They are trousers and a long sleeved top/shirt, made of the same stuff as the fly-nets? on hats. Approx. $ 15.00 apiece. If anyone wants to know, I'll try and find the catalogue.
Cheers,
xina.

When I suffered the last bout of these little noxious creatures, and like all times before, I had wet suit boots on over long socks tucking in the leg of the long pants that I wore. My pants were belted and the little buggers still bit me somehow around the ankles.
They bit me around the areas that air could flow and where clothing covered. Mosquitoes could not bit through the clothing to get to these spots.
Likewise my shirt is long sleeved and I wear gloves tucking in the shirt. I cut the buttons of the front of the shirt and sew it up the middle. They managed to attack just above the sleeve area, and around the love handles.
Face was exposed, and never had a problem. Never managed find the evidence of what they were, but everyone on the mothership had the same problems in the same spots after spending a day or 2 in the groves.

We never found any cure either.

[xina]

Found a couple of sites you could look at. After what Plucker just said, I don't know if they'd work, but I think I might get a set to try on the Tagalong. That way I'll know. Two addresses are:-

www.stingshield.com.au This one is supposed to protect against Mosquitos, Midges, Sandflies, Flies, and Ticks.

www.probuy.net Click on Probuy Safety Supplies. Click on Mosquito Clothing near the bottom of the purple printing.

Cheers,
xina.

[plucker]

At the time we called them sticky flies cause they would land and just sit on your face etc. Only found in certain areas of some saltwater creeks, up the Qld coast. Only found them a couple of times.

People with shorts and t-shirts only got bitten on the love handles and wore no insect repellant.

Having said all that and reading Stacky's original thread, maybe I have got the wrong critter, and if so, do apologize for hijacking the thread.

[fishingal]

Hey guys I am a cape virgin (Ant has promised to fix that!) so I have no idea what sort of critter you are talking about but has anyone tried an antihistamine? I'm pretty sure that preggy girls can take palaromine (mind the spelling) in the 2mg tablet. Please ask the chemist first but if she is itchy it should help to relieve it. The only other thing I can suggest that you have not mentioned is lavender (the water dispersable one, we get it from Woolies) My hubby gets hammered by sandflies and when we use the lavender straight to the bites it relieves the itch and there are no welts or sores.

Does insect repellant work on these little buggers? and Dann are your really saying consume kero????

[plucker]

One of the girls on the boat did try a antihistamine to no effect. We all were cured about the same speed.

The sticky flies I am talking about still land on you even after you have sprayed repellant. I tried bushmans, aerogard, and sunburn cream/insect repellant in a tube. All were fairly ineffective. These things will fly in your ears and in your nose at random also.

As for the bites you dont know about them until much later when they have formed infected welts and start itching. You dont seem to feel them biting at the time.

[geoffjy]

How did the scrub itch go Stacky? All gone?

[Stacky]

Thankfully it's gone.

It takes on average around 2 wks to fade away the itch.

It is something i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy when you get a full dose.

I have come across it again since the last time and i now think i know where it comes from............i had mentioned a type of lice that gets under your skin. I still think this is true. I found that most times i get it i have been walking in the bush and tracked through areas where there may have been lots of birds frequent that area. Either roosting in trees or nesting or lots of native berries in that area that is on the birds menu. I also only seem to get it only when i am in the denser areas of the rainforest. This is only my personal assumption and i might be totally wrong. But it's a start to narrowing down the cause.

[Nedly]

Was at a New Years Eve party and was talking to someone there.
They reckon the best thing for itchy bites is WD40, they swear by it.
It was early in the night, before the merry juice kicked in, so I figure they were being straight.
Reckoned it was the best thing for sandflie, midgie and mossy bites.

WD40?

I'm not sure.

[geoffjy]

Was at a New Years Eve party and was talking to someone there.
They reckon the best thing for itchy bites is WD40, they swear by it.
It was early in the night, before the merry juice kicked in, so I figure they were being straight.
Reckoned it was the best thing for sandflie, midgie and mossy bites.

WD40?

I'm not sure.

I'm not sure Nedly, now that you have bought it up, i think i might have that as well somewhere.

[plucker]

WD40 is mainly made out of fish oil and is supposedly safe to consume, although I dont think I ever would. Hardly surprising that it has a medicinal purpose as it works for just about everything else.

[geoffjy]

I think everything these days has a medicinal use for something. I keep reading every now and then about some new thing they have found to be medicinal.

[Stacky]

A can of aerogard will remove graffitti paint if it's fresh

[xina]

Sounds logical guys. Same principle as putting petrolium jelly on chooks' combs for stick-fast fleas. Deprive them of air and they'll die.
Cheers,
xina.

[plucker]

A can of aerogard will remove graffitti paint if it's fresh

Aerogard burns me if I use it, sometimes it feels like paint stripper.

[geoffjy]

If there is a bit of humidity and i spray aeroguard on me, it tends to make me hot and sweaty.

[Nedly]

If there is a bit of humidity and i spray aeroguard on me, it tends to make me hot and sweaty.

I suppose it dep..........
:)
Nah, to easy.

[geoffjy]

I suppose it dep..........
:)
Nah, to easy.

Yeah yeah Nedly. I have a pretty good idea what you were going to say. You are right. It would be too easy.

[highlift80]

I'm not sure Nedly, now that you have bought it up, i think i might have that as well somewhere.

Hey geoffjy just gave the WD40 a try on a few mozzie bites on my daughters ankle she just came in with three mozzie bites sat down and started scratching her ankle screaming she had been bitten by mozzies and they were itchy so with some keen interest after reading your post I sprayed some WD40 on the bites and instant relief. couldn't belive it, " lol " it actually works.

[geoffjy]

I will remember that for next time. I have some friends up here not long ago and one of them had a little pastic gadget. You hold it over the bite and click it and it produces a small electrical charge. You cant feel it at all but it is supposed to destroy the toxins or whatever. I tried it out at Punsand Bay and it worked on me. If i ever see any i will get a few.

[highlift80]

I have one of those clickers here it's called the mosquitoclick they have a website www.mosquitoclick.com, I think it was around $20 or something from Aussie Disposals they are available from most outdoorsy type places.

[geoffjy]

I have one of those clickers here it's called the mosquitoclick they have a website www.mosquitoclick.com, I think it was around $20 or something from Aussie Disposals they are available from most outdoorsy type places.

Have you tried it at all? Does it work for you?

[Nedly]

Hey geoffjy just gave the WD40 a try on a few mozzie bites on my daughters ankle she just came in with three mozzie bites sat down and started scratching her ankle screaming she had been bitten by mozzies and they were itchy so with some keen interest after reading your post I sprayed some WD40 on the bites and instant relief. couldn't belive it, " lol " it actually works.

WOW, it works.
Glad to hear it offered relief for your daughter.

Why bother with one of those clickers when you have itch remove in a can that is multi purpose, costs less than $20 as well.
Let's face it, we've probably all got a can in the tool box.

[plucker]

Looks like I need more WD40. The last lot from supercheap was super cheap.

[geoffjy]

I would rather not use wd40 when fishing out in the boat because its not good for the fishing lines especially braid. Saying that though, i hardly ever get bitten by sandies and mozzies. They tend to leave me alone. Marchies are a whole different story though.

[Handy]

g,day geoffjy , dont know what sort of '' wd 40 '' you use but the original wd 40, inox or crc will not harm your lines at all.
studies and test have been done and it wont harm them at all.
used it meself for years and never had a drama with it.
murray cod fisherman down south even soak their bardi grubs in it. cheers

[geoffjy]

g,day geoffjy , dont know what sort of '' wd 40 '' you use but the original wd 40, inox or crc will not harm your lines at all.
studies and test have been done and it wont harm them at all.
used it meself for years and never had a drama with it.
murray cod fisherman down south even soak their bardi grubs in it. cheers
Ok. Must have been something else then. The braid sort of melted together and i had to throw it out. The only explanation i had at the time was wd40 as i had been spraying it.

[Handy]

i know bushmans does a good melting job on it. lol

[geoffjy]

i know bushmans does a good melting job on it. lol

We had that problem on one of the cruise boats we used to have on the Daintree. Didnt know what was causing the holes in the fabric of the cushions. Later on, we found out it was Bushmans. No wonder the insects dont go near it.

[highlift80]

I haven't try'd the mosqito click geoffjy I very rarely get bitten buy em myself but the son and daughter seem to be mozzie magnets next time one of em gets bitten I'll give it a go, the mozzie click website says it can be used on jellyfish stings as well

[plucker]

Spend 5 minutes in my backyard Highlift. No one is immuned to the hungry mozzies there. That clicker thing would get a fair work out.:) :)

[ant]

I am one of the lucky ones who is not bothered by mozzies or sandflies but my wife will get bitten if there is one within a 100km radius. I bought here one of the mozzie clicker things from Geo Pickers here in Cairns years ago thinking it was some sort of gimick.
She loves it and swears it works.

Great also as a party trick. See if you can put it on your tongue and click it. Then try other parts of your body.............

[geoffjy]

I am one of the lucky ones who is not bothered by mozzies or sandflies but my wife will get bitten if there is one within a 100km radius. I bought here one of the mozzie clicker things from Geo Pickers here in Cairns years ago thinking it was some sort of gimick.
She loves it and swears it works.

Great also as a party trick. See if you can put it on your tongue and click it. Then try other parts of your body.............

Mmmmmm, I think i will take your word for that one Ant.

The missus is also one of those people that can draw a mosquito and sandfly from a few k's away. She is slowly getting used to them now though. At the start she was getting red welts from them, now she only gets red marks.