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.

Scabies occurs when tiny parasitic mites called Sarcoptes scabiei burrow into the upper layer of skin, triggering an intense allergic reaction that causes severe itching and a distinctive rash.

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.