Itchy Rash Spread to Whole Family Unknown Cause

[aries86]

I've come to this forum because I'm out of patience and out of ideas. My brother in law was in an accident back in May and was in the ICU for a week. He came home with a rash on his feet that itched really bad and looked like a bunch of goose bumps that the doctor claimed was a fungus from the water he was in after the accident. Well, once he was home, it spread fast. After he began to spread, my father in law got on his butt. It also spread from his butt, to his legs, to his arm and hands. After he began to spread, my wife, my mother in law and I also have it. It seems to be contained to the arms, legs, butt, feet, and hands. My mother in law has a few on her left abdomen, but that's about all of the places that it seems to be. This has been going on since May!

It really has gotten out of hand.The doctor says it's normal skin bateria and that topical anti-fungal creams should stop it. We've tried Bactrim, Hydrocortison 1%, Anti-fungal creams, oatmeal baths, Vistaril, and Clindamycin HCL. We've even had some steroid creams to top it off.(Mometasone Furoate .1% creper).

The rash is so bad in places that we spend hours itching the site until it bleeds. The weird thing is that more bumps arise once you begin itching it.The skin area is a light to medium red and the bumps look like goose bumps and at time like chicken pox. In all cases, the rash started on our butt area. Also, it seems to itch more at night or when there is excessive heat. Any ideas??? I DON'T WANT TO ITCH ANYMORE! The photo attached is of my elbow where it is very small, but itchy. If needed, I can get more photos with a digital camera.

[DanMick]

     Did you cook him food?  Did you have pans/dishes that were flaking?  I believe that is source for rash among multiple family members.  Also dirty clothes/towels that have been piled and washed under temperatures that does not kill bacteria.

[dermatologiest1]

Itchy rashes differ in severity, frequency and duration based on the fundamental cause. Itchy rashes can appear as spotty or tiny spots or arise in a large, solid continuous area. In some cases, an itchy rash may include scaling or flaking of skin cells and can ooze clear-colored fluid.

An itchy rash can indicate a relatively moderate and easily treated condition, such as irritant contact dermatitis or ringworm a fungal infection of the skin. An itchy rash can also result from viral infections, autoimmune disorders, and insect bites.

[MamaLacey]

PS. MY FAMILY MEMBER ALSO STATED SHE HAD BEEN TO THE DOCTORS & ER MULTIPLE TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEMS...ITCHING & RASH...THEY TELL HER JUST BACTERIAL SKIN INFECTION & RASH...NOPE...ENDED UP BEING SCABIES.EEEK!

[MamaLacey]

WELL I TOO HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS,AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS IN MY FAMILY. RECENTLY WE HAD AN ASTRAGED FAMILY MEMBER STAYING WITH US,WHO HAD BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DIAGNOSED & "treated" FOR SCABIES. STARTS OUT SMALL ITCHES HERE N THERE THEN TINY SPERATIC RED BUMPS APPEAR HERE N THERE & ITCHING BEGINS INTENSLY....I'M TAKING MY FAMILY TO ER TOMORROW & PRAY ITS NOT THAT BUT I WOULD ASSUME IT IS & IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.. CLEAN EVERYTHING WITH HOT WATER OR BAG IT ALL & LEAVE IN FREEZING COLD FOR A CPL WKS! MUST SEEK DOCTORS HELP FOR SPECIAL CREAM AND SPRAYS AS WELL! Goodluck

[aries86]

Wouldn't the lab have found scabies on the first culture they did? Our family doctor had it cultured. I would hope that our doctors are not that poor at what they do. We've been back 3 times and he still has no idea what it is.

[Skizzyd]

Just curious, did you find a cure??

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Since it is contagious, so scabies and fungal infections need to be ruled out. Scabies is characterized by intense itching, usually at night and by small insect-type bites lesions on the skin. Diagnosis of scabies is made by scraping the skin and viewing the material under a microscope to see the characteristic mite or eggs. Fungal infections are diagnosed by KOH examination and fungal culture of the skin scrapings. My sincere advice would be to consult a dermatologist and get these two possibilities ruled out.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.