A case of scabies has been diagnosed at Middleburgh elementary school, district officials said.
Letters have gone home to parents about the disease and information has been posted on the district's website.
Scabies, according to the state health department website, is a fairly common infectious disease of the skin caused by a mite. Scabies mites burrow into the skin producing pimple-like irritations or burrows.
The disease, according to district officials, is easily treated by use of a prescription cream or lotion. It is spread by direct skin-to-skin contact.
A letter sent home informed parents that their child may have been exposed to scabies.
The most prominent symptom of the disease is intense itching, particularly at night. The areas of the skin most affected include between the fingers, around the wrists, elbows, around the waist, the back of the neck and back, officials said.
The treatment for scabies should be repeated again in five to seven days.
If parents suspect their child has scabies, they should wash and machine dry all clothes, towels, sheets, and blankets used in the prior two weeks, officials said. They should vacuum all carpets and upholstered furniture thoroughly and stuffed animals should be bagged for two weeks.
Those who have had skin contact with an infected person should be treated.
Symptoms will appear from four to six weeks in people who have not previously been exposed to scabies infestations. People who have had a previous bout with the disease may show symptoms within one to four days after a re-exposure.