Mum catches scabies from fox who ‘watched Netflix on her couch’ as circumstances rise
Alexandra Shulman developed an itchy rash after sitting on the same spot where a fox had lounged in her home, leading to the first diagnosis of fox scabies a top dermatologist had seen in 30 years
A woman caught medieval disease scabies after a fox wandered into her home, made itself comfortable on the sofa and watched Netflix.
Alexandra Shulman recalled how she found an urban fox enjoying the latest dramas in her lounge – leading to the first case of fox scabies that a top dermatologist had seen for 30 years. It comes after cases of scabies more than tripled in the UK between 2022 and 2024.
“I came into our sitting room, where the TV had been left on, to discover a small, greyish fox curled up on the sofa, happily watching Netflix,” said Alexandra, 67, writing in the Daily Mail.
After calling her husband to chase the fox away, she sat in the same spot to “compose” herself. Within minutes, she felt an itch on her bottom. A bright red rash soon developed, which quickly became intolerable and lingered for several days.
“I took an antihistamine pill and hoped since it was a Friday… that the rash would be gone by the next day,” she continued. “But far from it. The next morning, the redness had spread and was agonising.”
After going to A&E, she was prescribed a steroid – but said the next day, “I was ready to rip my skin off”.
Initially, A&E doctors suspected Alexandra had experienced an allergic reaction, but she wasn’t convinced and sought the opinion of two dermatologists. The second expert, a specialist based in London, diagnosed Alexandra with dog/fox scabies mite sarcoptes scabiei var canis, contracted from her encounter with the fox.
She said: “Back came the result within the hour, and I quote: ‘The diagnosis is one of human sarcoptic mange resulting from infestation with the dog/fox scabies mite sarcoptes scabiei var canis. I have to say this is the first time I have come across the situation in over 30 years of dermatology.’
“Fortunately this kind of scabies does not pass between humans so I was not contagious, but I had to douse my whole body with the same disgusting smelling liquid used for head lice for several weeks.”
Alexandra shared her ordeal amid recent reports of the medieval disease being detected in schools across the UK. The condition, prevalent during the Middle Ages, results in severe itching due to tiny mites burrowing under the skin.
Doctors and dermatologists have observed a national increase in scabies cases, with UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data showing diagnoses rising from approximately 1,421 in 2022 to 4,872 in 2024. reports the Mirror.
It spreads through extended close skin-to-skin contact and is often misdiagnosed as eczema or other skin rashes.
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