Rodent mite dermatitis
{{Short description|Disease of humans caused by mites}}
{{Redirect|Rat mite dermatitis|similar conditions|Acariasis}}
{{Infobox medical condition
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|specialty = Dermatology
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Rodent mite dermatitis (also known as rat mite dermatitis) is an often unrecognized ectoparasitosis occurring after human contact with haematophagous mesostigmatid mites that infest rodents, such as house mice,{{Cite journal|last1=Reeves|first1=Will K.|last2=Cobb|first2=Kristin D.|s2cid=85650971|date=2005-07-01|title=Ectoparasites of House Mice (Mus musculus) from Pet Stores in South Carolina, U.S.A|journal=Comparative Parasitology|volume=72|issue=2|pages=193–195|doi=10.1654/4178|issn=1525-2647}} rats{{Cite journal|last1=Engel|first1=Peter M.|last2=Welzel|first2=J.|last3=Maass|first3=M.|last4=Schramm|first4=U.|last5=Wolff|first5=H. H.|date=1998|title=Tropical Rat Mite Dermatitis: Case Report and Review|journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases|language=en|volume=27|issue=6|pages=1465–1469|doi=10.1086/515016|issn=1058-4838|doi-access=free|pmid=9868661}} and hamsters.{{Cite journal|last1=Creel|first1=Naomi B.|last2=Crowe|first2=Mark A.|last3=Mullen|first3=Gary R.|date=2003|title=Pet hamsters as a source of rat mite dermatitis|journal=Cutis|volume=71|issue=6|pages=457–461|issn=0011-4162|pmid=12839256}} The condition is associated with the tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti), spiny rat mite (Laelaps echidnina) and house mouse mite (Liponyssoides sanguineus){{Cite journal|last=Watson|first=J.|date=2008-01-01|title=New Building, Old Parasite: Mesostigmatid Mites--An Ever-Present Threat to Barrier Rodent Facilities|journal=ILAR Journal|language=en|volume=49|issue=3|pages=303–309|doi=10.1093/ilar.49.3.303|issn=1084-2020|doi-access=free|pmid=18506063|pmc=7108606}} which opportunistically feed on humans. Rodent mites are capable of surviving for long periods without feeding and travelling long distances when seeking hosts. Cases have been reported in homes, libraries,{{Cite journal|last1=Chung|first1=Sang Lip|last2=Hwang|first2=Sung Joo|last3=Kwon|first3=Soon Baek|last4=Kim|first4=Do Won|last5=Jun|first5=Jae Bok|last6=Cho|first6=Baik Kee|date=1998|title=Outbreak of rat mite dermatitis in medical students|journal=International Journal of Dermatology|language=en|volume=37|issue=8|pages=591–594|doi=10.1046/j.1365-4362.1998.00558.x|pmid=9732004|s2cid=34760181|issn=0011-9059}} hospitals{{Cite journal|last=Haggard|first=Carl N.|date=1955-03-01|title=Rat Mite Dermatitis in Children|url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/15/3/322|journal=Pediatrics|language=en|volume=15|issue=3|pages=322–324|doi=10.1542/peds.15.3.322|issn=0031-4005|pmid=14356805|s2cid=32691957|url-access=subscription}} and care homes.{{Cite journal|last1=Baumstark|first1=J.|last2=Beck|first2=W.|last3=Hofmann|first3=H.|s2cid=3124223|date=2007|title=Outbreak of Tropical Rat Mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) Dermatitis in a Home for Disabled Persons|journal=Dermatology|language=english|volume=215|issue=1|pages=66–68|doi=10.1159/000102037|pmid=17587843|issn=1018-8665|url=https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/16889/1/10_1159_000102037.pdf}} A similar condition, known as gamasoidosis, is caused by avian mites.{{Cite journal|last1=Kowalska|first1=M.|last2=Kupis|first2=B.|date=1976|title=Gamasoidosis (gamasidiosis)-not infrequent skin reactions, frequently unrecognized|journal=Polish Medical Sciences and History Bulletin|volume=15–16|issue=4|pages=391–394|issn=0301-0236|pmid=826895}}
Symptoms and signs
Rodent mite bites leave multiple groups or individual small itchy papules (around 1–2 mm in diameter) on the skin (papular urticaria).{{Cite journal|last1=Engel|first1=P. M.|last2=Welzel|first2=J.|last3=Maass|first3=M.|last4=Schramm|first4=U.|last5=Wolff|first5=H. H.|date=1998|title=Tropical rat mite dermatitis: case report and review|journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases|volume=27|issue=6|pages=1465–1469|issn=1058-4838|pmid=9868661|doi=10.1086/515016|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|date=2007-11-01|title=Tropical Rat Mites as newly emerging disease pathogens in rodents and man|journal=Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease|language=en|volume=5|issue=6|pages=403|doi=10.1016/j.tmaid.2007.09.016|issn=1477-8939|last1=Beck|first1=W.}} These are found mostly "on the upper extremities, neck, upper trunk and face".
Diagnosis
Treatment
The original rodent host of the mites must be located and eradicated,{{Cite journal|last=Fox|first=James G.|date=1982-09-01|title=Outbreak of Tropical Rat Mite Dermatitis in Laboratory Personnel|journal=Archives of Dermatology|language=en|volume=118|issue=9|pages=676–8|doi=10.1001/archderm.1982.01650210056019|pmid=7114872|issn=0003-987X}} and their nests removed. Steps should also be taken to prevent future infestations, such as by blocking the rodents means of entry into the building. The patient's environment should then be treated, using both non-residual and residual insecticides, mites crawling in the open can be removed by vacuuming or with a cloth moistened with alcohol.{{Cite web|url=https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef637|title=Parasitic Mites of Humans {{!}} Entomology|website=entomology.ca.uky.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-06-05}}
Bites can be treated with antihistamines and corticosteroids, to relieve the associated itching and allergic reactions.
Epidemiology
L. sanguineus has been implicated in the spread of Rickettsialpox.{{Cite journal|last1=Azad|first1=A. F.|last2=Beard|first2=C. B.|date=1998|title=Rickettsial pathogens and their arthropod vectors | journal=Emerging Infectious Diseases|volume=4|issue=2|pages=179–186 |pmc=2640117|pmid=9621188|doi=10.3201/eid0402.980205}}
See also
References
{{Mite-related diseases and infestations}}
Category:Parasitic infestations, stings, and bites of the skin