Scabies is a skin disease caused by the burrowing mite *Sarcoptes scabiei*. The mites invade the stratum corneum, creating tunnels where they reside, move, feed, and lay eggs. Scabies has been included in the World Health Organization's roadmap for neglected tropical diseases. This review summarizes the biology of the mite, the pathogenesis of the disease, pathological changes, and complications. The host-parasite interaction is complex and involves various mechanisms, some of which are not well understood. Understanding this interaction could lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic options for scabies control. The mite's biology and molecular basis of interaction could also inform the development of new acaricidal agents and vaccines. The mite's life cycle includes five stages: egg, larva, protonymph, tritonymph, and adult. Adults mate on the host's skin and females lay 2-4 eggs per day in burrows. The mites' survival and infectivity are influenced by environmental conditions, and they can survive for 1-9 days at 15-25°C and 25-97% relative humidity. Direct contact, including sexual contact, is the main mode of transmission, but indirect transmission through fomites is also possible. The host immune response to scabies involves both innate and adaptive mechanisms. Innate immune cells like eosinophils, mast cells, and basophils play a role in the early response, while adaptive immune responses involve T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and cytokines. The severity of the disease depends on the type and amplitude of these responses. Scabies can lead to secondary bacterial infections, particularly in crusted scabies, and can cause systemic changes in severe cases, affecting organs like the liver, kidneys, and heart. The review also discusses different clinical forms of scabies, such as ordinary scabies, nodular scabies, bullous scabies, crusted scabies, infantile scabies, and scabies in the elderly. Each form has distinct characteristics and diagnostic features. Scabies can have psychosocial implications, affecting quality of life and causing financial burdens. In conclusion, the complex host-parasite interaction in scabies requires further research to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Understanding the molecular basis of this interaction could lead to novel treatments and vaccines.Scabies is a skin disease caused by the burrowing mite *Sarcoptes scabiei*. The mites invade the stratum corneum, creating tunnels where they reside, move, feed, and lay eggs. Scabies has been included in the World Health Organization's roadmap for neglected tropical diseases. This review summarizes the biology of the mite, the pathogenesis of the disease, pathological changes, and complications. The host-parasite interaction is complex and involves various mechanisms, some of which are not well understood. Understanding this interaction could lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic options for scabies control. The mite's biology and molecular basis of interaction could also inform the development of new acaricidal agents and vaccines. The mite's life cycle includes five stages: egg, larva, protonymph, tritonymph, and adult. Adults mate on the host's skin and females lay 2-4 eggs per day in burrows. The mites' survival and infectivity are influenced by environmental conditions, and they can survive for 1-9 days at 15-25°C and 25-97% relative humidity. Direct contact, including sexual contact, is the main mode of transmission, but indirect transmission through fomites is also possible. The host immune response to scabies involves both innate and adaptive mechanisms. Innate immune cells like eosinophils, mast cells, and basophils play a role in the early response, while adaptive immune responses involve T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and cytokines. The severity of the disease depends on the type and amplitude of these responses. Scabies can lead to secondary bacterial infections, particularly in crusted scabies, and can cause systemic changes in severe cases, affecting organs like the liver, kidneys, and heart. The review also discusses different clinical forms of scabies, such as ordinary scabies, nodular scabies, bullous scabies, crusted scabies, infantile scabies, and scabies in the elderly. Each form has distinct characteristics and diagnostic features. Scabies can have psychosocial implications, affecting quality of life and causing financial burdens. In conclusion, the complex host-parasite interaction in scabies requires further research to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Understanding the molecular basis of this interaction could lead to novel treatments and vaccines.