Human scabies is a debilitating skin disease caused by Sarcoptes scabei, known by several names such as "itch mite." At any given time, the worldwide burden of disease is about 300,000,000 people.

In dogs, for example, a scabies infestation is called mange. The mites can’t jump or fly. But once they land on a new victim, they can crawl at 2.5cm a minute to hunt down a hiding spot.

A new diagnostic tool for scabies, one of the world's most common skin conditions, is being trialled by doctors in the Northern Territory. Scabies is an itchy skin infestation caused by a ...