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Paediatrics => Measles => Itching
Itching
Itch, also pruritus, sensation in the skin that elicits the desire to scratch; also a skin disorder characterized by that sensation. Itch is caused by irritation of the nerve endings for pain and touch in the skin, sometimes accompanied by inflammation or skin eruptions. The difference between itching and pain is one of degree; a lowered threshold for stimulation in skin areas around the site of irritation usually leads to itching and scratching. The cause of the irritation may be: mechanical, such as a chafing collar; biochemical, such as an allergic reaction or an insect bite; or due to invasions of the skin, such as the fungal infection ringworm or the mite infestation scabies. A persistent itch may be a symptom of some systemic disease, such as a liver disorder.
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