Flaky, red bumps. What could this possibly be? Please help!

[dtxo]

So I got a cat about a month ago and 1 week after I got my cat, I had this scab near the crook of my elbow.  I didn't think anything of it, until after a few days when the scab turned flaky and came off when I scratched it.  By the way, I don't think it was a scab, it just looked like one but flaked off. It was also really itchy for the first few days.  

Initially I thought it was ringworm because I thought my cat had it, but they aren't in the shape of a ring.  After the first bump, I got two bumps that were about 1 cm in diameter, and in the past week I have started getting red bumps all over my body. Mainly on my chest, neck and lower torso area. There are about 30 dots/bumps in total.  I've also been getting them twice as fast now, and it's really scaring me.  Some are bigger (1cm diameter) and some are smaller(2mm).  I'd like to also mention that two other people living with me have also started getting these bumps. I think it may have something to do with my cat, because I got it right after.

[dtxo]

Hi Bhupinder,
I actually have an appointment with my doctor in a few days, so I will be sure to bring up scabies.  I've also been using an anti-fungal cream but it hasn't been helping much with the bumps and the bumps are still spreading and itchy.  The weird thing is, some bumps are just red, while others are flaky or have a dot in the middle.

If you wouldn't mind taking a look, I took some pictures of the bumps.

This is an example of them looking different. Here are some on my waist area, one has a red dot and the other is flaky: http://oi49.tinypic.com/8xsjo7.jpg

these are on my neck: http://oi45.tinypic.com/wc0ihh.jpg

this is near my hip area, and one of them has the flaky scab I was talking about: http://oi48.tinypic.com/2mzmz2b.jpg

another hip one: http://oi48.tinypic.com/11ui7bp.jpg

this is how some of them start out as, a tiny red bump with a dot in the middle: http://oi50.tinypic.com/20u36mr.jpg

I also just got some bumps on my face too, here is one along my jaw: http://oi50.tinypic.com/2mri61i.jpg

Another under my eye: http://oi46.tinypic.com/ot28gl.jpg

There are also a few bumps on my forehead and along my hairline.  Do you think it could spread onto my scalp, because I'm very worried about that.

Thanks, I really appreciate your help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Going by your symptoms, the possibility of scabies is high which is a highly contagious disease. It is an infestation of the skin with the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. It is characterized by intense itching, usually at night and by small insect-type bites lesions on the skin. Diagnosis of scabies is made by scraping the skin and viewing the material under a microscope to see the characteristic mite or eggs.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.