All articles tagged with #mites
If you're experiencing red, itchy bumps but can't see any bugs, pest experts suggest it could be mites, bed bugs, fleas, or mosquitoes. Each has distinct signs and symptoms, and identifying them can help in taking preventative measures. If symptoms worsen, consult a health practitioner to rule out medical conditions or allergies.
The bacteria that causes scrub typhus, a disease that can kill up to 70 percent of those infected, has been found in mites living in half of the national parks surveyed in North Carolina, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While no cases have been detected in people in North Carolina, further surveillance is needed to determine if the disease has spread to other states. Scrub typhus is typically found in the Tsutsugamushi Triangle, but it has recently been detected in other areas, prompting researchers to search for it in the US. Treatment includes antibiotics, and without treatment, the disease can lead to death.
A French couple developed a rare skin disease called Pyemotes dermatitis after the mites infesting the beetles eating their furniture bit them. The mites, called Pyemotes ventricosus, inject a toxin to paralyze their prey and nourish their eggs. The bites cause extremely itchy welts and pink marks, and in some cases, a comet-shaped rash. The skin condition generally resolves on its own, and the couple was treated with topical glucocorticoids and antihistamines.
Demodex mites, which are less than one millimeter in length and have eight little legs, live on most people's faces and mate in the nighttime. During the day, they hang out inside our pores, and at night, look for other mites on our face to mate with. Although they may sound alarming, the mites are harmless and are found on pretty much everyone. In the future, these Demodex mites could potentially be "symbionts" with us, according to a 2022 study from the journal "Molecular Biology and Evolution."
Demodex, tiny arachnids that consume skin cells and oils on the human body, are part of the arachnid class and are cousins of spiders and ticks. They usually come out at night to feast on dead skin cells on our face before retreating to hair follicles and oil glands to lay their eggs. Despite their frightful appearance, these mites are harmless and will go unnoticed, and can even help your skin by removing dead skin cells. Scientists estimate that somewhere between 23 per cent and 100 per cent of healthy adults have Demodex, although we wouldn't know about it until they cause skin problems.
A video of a strawberry under a microscope has revealed the presence of small mites crawling on it, which are likely species of small mites that live on strawberries and their plants. While some larger insects lay their eggs inside strawberries, there is no evidence suggesting that these mites are damaging to human health.