PEORIA — OSF Saint Francis Medical Center has confirmed one case of a highly contagious severe form of scabies.

The hospital sent letters to 276 people hospitalized, at some point, in the same unit as the patient, notifying them to contact a doctor if they experience the severe itching and rash-like symptoms of scabies.

Employees who had contact with the patient prior to diagnosis have been treated. Any employee with symptoms was not allowed to work until treatment was completed, according to St. Francis spokeswoman Shelli Dankoff.

“What we did was in large part precautionary,” Dankoff said. “This situation is under control.”

The patient was admitted to the hospital in early August for other medical conditions and was later diagnosed with crusted scabies, Dankoff said. Crusted scabies also is known as Norwegian scabies.

“The patient did not develop them here. I want to be clear,” Dankoff added.

She described Norwegian scabies as “scabies on steroids.”

Scabies are caused by a parasitic mite that burrows into upper layers of human skin. Typically, a person with scabies might be infested with less than 20 mites, Dankoff said. A person with Norwegian scabies will have thousands, embedded in thick, crusty skin that may cover extensive parts of the body.

Norwegian, or crusted, scabies is far less common than ordinary scabies, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is most likely to occur in people with weak immune systems, including the elderly and people with cancer, AIDs or who are on immunosuppressive medications. People with crusted scabies may not have the usual scabies symptoms of rash and itching.

Both ordinary and crusted scabies are spread through skin-to-skin contact. But, because of the large number of mites, crusted scabies also can infect others who come into contact with contaminated clothing, bedding or furniture. In such cases, people without compromised immune systems may become infected with ordinary scabies.

Symptoms typically occur within two to six weeks after contact with an infected person or item.

While St. Francis has only one confirmed case, it is difficult to determine how many others, if any, cases exist in the area.

Scabies don’t have to be reported to public health agencies on a case-by-case basis, according to Diana Scott, spokeswoman for Peoria City/County Health Department, which is working with St. Francis to assure appropriate follow-up precautions.

Dankoff said the patient has been in isolation and is receiving aggressive treatment. There have been no other confirmed cases of scabies connected to the patient with Norwegian scabies, she said.

Pam Adams can be reached at 686-3245 or padams@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @padamspam.