RESEARCH PAPER
Demodex spp. (Acari: Demodicidae) infection in healthy young adults in Poland – occurrence and risk factors
| 1 | Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland |
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Katarzyna Kubiak
Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Żołnierska 14c, 10-561 Olsztyn, Polandtel./fax +4889 524 61 16.
Department of Medical Biology, School of Public Health, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Żołnierska 14c, 10-561 Olsztyn, Polandtel./fax +4889 524 61 16.
Online publication date: 2020-07-11
Submission date: 2020-04-04
Final revision date: 2020-04-29
Acceptance date: 2020-04-29
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Demodex mites are associated with various symptoms pertaining to facial and eyelid skin in humans. Demodicosis is often reported in elderly people, above 50 years of age. In young adults, the Demodex spp. infection is less common and is asymptomatic or the symptoms are mild.
Aim:
The aim was to evaluate the occurrence of Demodex spp. in healthy young adults in Poland and analyze the associations between the presence of mites, participants gender and skin type, with regards to hygienic practices and symptoms.
Material and methods:
The content of facial sebaceous glands and eyelash follicles was examined in a group of 94 people, aged 18–32 years. Metric data and information about face and eyelid skin symptom occurrence, skin type and hygienic practices were collected by diagnostic survey.
Results and discussion:
Demodex spp. was identified in 21.3% of subjects. In 45% and 30% of carriers Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis occurred, respectively. A mixed infestation in 25% of subjects was detected. Demodex infestation was slightly higher in people with oily and mixed skin (23.5%), compared to those with dry and normal skin (18.6%). No significant influence of shared hygienic accessories on the level of Demodex spp. infection were observed. The skin symptoms of the face and eyelids were reported at 75% for subjects positive for Demodex.
Conclusions:
Demodex mites are often prevalent in healthy young adults in Poland in both the sebaceous glands of the face and hair follicles. While diagnosing face and eyelid skin diseases in young people, Demodex spp. infection should be considered.
Demodex mites are associated with various symptoms pertaining to facial and eyelid skin in humans. Demodicosis is often reported in elderly people, above 50 years of age. In young adults, the Demodex spp. infection is less common and is asymptomatic or the symptoms are mild.
Aim:
The aim was to evaluate the occurrence of Demodex spp. in healthy young adults in Poland and analyze the associations between the presence of mites, participants gender and skin type, with regards to hygienic practices and symptoms.
Material and methods:
The content of facial sebaceous glands and eyelash follicles was examined in a group of 94 people, aged 18–32 years. Metric data and information about face and eyelid skin symptom occurrence, skin type and hygienic practices were collected by diagnostic survey.
Results and discussion:
Demodex spp. was identified in 21.3% of subjects. In 45% and 30% of carriers Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis occurred, respectively. A mixed infestation in 25% of subjects was detected. Demodex infestation was slightly higher in people with oily and mixed skin (23.5%), compared to those with dry and normal skin (18.6%). No significant influence of shared hygienic accessories on the level of Demodex spp. infection were observed. The skin symptoms of the face and eyelids were reported at 75% for subjects positive for Demodex.
Conclusions:
Demodex mites are often prevalent in healthy young adults in Poland in both the sebaceous glands of the face and hair follicles. While diagnosing face and eyelid skin diseases in young people, Demodex spp. infection should be considered.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank D. Litwin M.Sc. for biological material collection and identification and E. Kędzierska M.Sc. for database preparation.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None declared.
FUNDING
None declared.
REFERENCES (39)
1.
Czepita D, Kuźna-Grygiel W, Czepita M, Grobelny A. Demodex folliculorum i Demodex brevis as a cause of chronic marginal blepharitis. Ann Acad Med Stetin. 2007;53(1):63–67 [in Polish].
2.
Zhao YE, Xu JR, Hu L, Wu LP, Wang ZH. Complete sequence analysis of 18S rDNA based on genomic DNA extraction from individual Demodex mites (Acari: Demodicidae). Exp Parasitol. 2012;131(1):45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expp....
3.
Akbulatova LKH. The pathogenic role of the mite Demodex and the clinical forms of demodicosis in man. Vestn Dermatol Venerol. 1966;40(12):57–61 [in Russian].
4.
Sędzikowska A. Demodicosis – pathophysiology, treatment and therapeutic efficacy of metronidazole ointment and mercury oxide ointment. Ophta Therapy. 2014;2(2):108–111 [in Polish].
5.
Jarmuda S, O’Railly N, Zaba R, Jakubowicz O, Szkaradkiewicz A, Kavanagh K. Potential role of Demodex mites and bacteria in the induction of rosacea. J Med Microbiol. 2012;61(11):1504–1510. https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.....
6.
Liu J, Sheha H, Tseng SC. Pathogenic role of Demodex mites in blepharitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010;10(5):505–510. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACI.0b....
7.
Izdebska JN. Human skin mites and pets. In: Allergology in practice. Allergy to mites. Majkowska-Wojciechowska B, ed. Łódź: Mediton. 2005:95–105.
8.
Kuźna-Grygiel W, Kosik-Bogacka D, Czepita D, Sambor I. Symptomatic and asymptomatic infections of Demodex Spp. in eye lashes of patients of different age groups. Wiad Parazytol. 2004;50(1):55–61 [in Polish].
9.
Raszeja-Kotelba B, Jenerowicz D, Izdebska JN, Bowszyc-Dmochowska M, Tomczak M, Dembińska M. Some aspects of the skin infestation by Demodex folliculorum. Wiad Parazytol. 2004;50(1):41–54 [in Polish].
10.
Buczek A. Parasitic diseases, epidemiology, diagnostics, symptoms. Lublin: Koliber. 2005:318–323 [in Polish].
11.
Zhao YE, Guo NA, Li C, Lu Z-H. The dynamic observation of the morphologic structure and activity of human Demode in different stages. Chin J Vec Biol Contr. 2007;18(2):120–123.
12.
Lacey N, Russell-Hallinan A, Zouboulis CC, Powell FC. Demodex mites modulate sebocyte immune reaction: possible role in the pathogenesis of rosacea. Br J Dermatol. 2018;179(2):420–430. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.16....
13.
Elston DM. Demodex mites: facts and controversies. Clin Dermatol. 2010;28(5):502–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clin....
14.
Forton FMN. Papulopustular Rosacea, Skin Immunity and Demodex: Pityriasis Folliculorum as a Missing Link. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2012;26(1):19–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468....
15.
Zhao YE, Guo N, Xun M, Xu JR, Wang M, Wang DL. Sociodemographic characteristics and risk factor analysis of Demodex infestation (Acari: Demodicidae). J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2011;12:998–1007. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B....
16.
Lacey N, Kavanagh K, Tseng SCG. Under the lash: Demodex mites in human diseases. Biochem (Lond). 2009;31(4):2–6. https://doi.org/10.1042/BIO031....
17.
Marcinowska Z, Kosik-Bogacka M, Łanocha-Arendarczyk N, Czepita D, Łanocha A. Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis. Pom J Life Sci. 2015;61(1):108–114 [in Polish].
18.
Gutierrez Y. Diagnostic Pathology of Parasitic Infections with Clinical Correlations (2nd edn). Yezid Gutierrez, MD, MPH&TM, PhD. Oxford University Press, New York, 2000. J Pathol. 2001;193(2):277. https://doi.org/10.1002/1096-9...<277::AID-PATH806>3.0.CO;2-P.
19.
Persi A, Rebora A. Metronidazole and Demodex folliculorum. Acta Derm Venereol. 1981;61(2):182–183.
20.
Litwin D, Chen W-Ch, Dzika E, Korycińska J. Human permanent ectoprasites; Recent advances on biology and clinical significance of Demodex mites: Narrative review article. Iran J Parasitol. 2017;12(1):12–21.
21.
Shelley WB, Shelley ED, Burmeister V. Unilateral demodectic rosacea. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1989;20(5 Pt 2):915–917. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0190-....
22.
Wesołowska M, Baran W, Szepietowski J, Hirschberg L, Jankowski S. Demodicidosis in humans as a current problem in dermatology. Wiad Parazytol. 2005;51(3):253–256 [in Polish].
23.
Czepita D, Kuźna-Grygiel W, Kosik-Bogacka D. Demodex as an etiological factor in chronic blepharitis. Klin Oczna. 2005;107(10–12):722–724 [in Polish].
24.
Garbacewicz A, Udziela M, Grytner-Ziecina B, Szaflik JP, Szaflik J. Demodex infections in general Polish population, in patients suff ering from blepharitis, and among people who work with microscopes. Klin Oczna. 2010;112(10–12):307–310 [in Polish].
25.
Cielecka D, Salamatin R, Garbacewicz A. Usage of the Hoyer’s medium for diagnostics and morphological studies of some parasites. Wiad Parazytol. 2009;55(3):265–270 [in Polish].
26.
Rufli T, Mumcuoglu Y. The hair follicle mites Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis: Biology and medical importance. A review. Dermatologica. 1981;162(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1159/000250....
27.
Desch C, Nutting WB. Demodex folliculorum (Simon) and D. Brevis Akbulatova of man: Redescription and reevaluation. J Parasitol. 1972;58(1):169–177. https://doi.org/10.2307/327826....
28.
Rusiecka-Ziółkowska J, Nokiel M, Fleisher M. Demodex – an old pathogen or a new one? Adv Clin Exp Med. 2014;23(2):295–298. https://doi.org/10.17219/acem/....
29.
Elston CA, Elston DM. Demodex Mites. Clin Dermatol. 2014;32(6):739–743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clin....
30.
Ru-Juan Z, Xue-Rong Y, Ying Z, et al. Investigation on Demodex infection status and influencing factors in medical students in Wuhu City. Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi. 2017;29(3):358–362. https://doi.org/10.16250/j.32.... [in Chinese].
31.
Cao YS, You QX, Wang L, et al. Facial Demodex infection among college students in Tangshan. Zhongguo Ji Sheng Chong Xue Yu Ji Sheng Chong Bing Za Zhi. 2009;27(3):271 –273 [in Chinese].
32.
Karaman Ü, Kolören Z, Enginyurt Ö, Özer A. The epidemiology of Demodex mites at the college students living in dormitories in the City of Ordu. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2014;38(3):166–171. https://doi.org/10.5152/tpd.20... [in Turkish].
33.
Zeytun E, Tilki E, Doğan S, Yani Mumcuoğlu K. The effect of skin moisture, pH, and temperature on the density of Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis (Acari: Demodicidae) in students and staff of the Erzincan University, Turkey. Int J Dermatol. 2017;56(7):762–766. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.13....
34.
Dołęgowska K. Prevalence of Demodex spp. in students and employees of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. Pomeranian J Life Sci. 2019;65(3):31–35. https://doi.org/10.21164/pomjl....
35.
Horváth A, Neubrandt DM, Ghidán Á, Nagy K. Risk factors and prevalence of Demodex mites in young adults. Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung. 2011;58(2):145–155. https://doi.org/ 10.1556/AMicr.58.2011.2.7.
36.
Chen W, Plewig G. Human demodicosis: revisit and a proposed classification. Br J Dermatol. 2014;170(6):1219–1225. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.12....
37.
Akilov OE, Butov YS, Mumcuoglu KY. A clinico-patholoical approach to the classifiction of human demodcosis. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2005;3(8):607–614. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1610....
38.
Litwin D, Wygonowska E, Dzika E, Placek W. [The prevalence of Demodex folliculorum on the skin lesions compared to non-lesion skin in patients with dermatoses – preliminary study]. Dermatol Prakt. 2014;6:13–17 [in Polish].
39.
Biernat M, Rusiecka-Ziołkowska J, Piątkowska E, Helemejko I, Biernat P, Gościniak G. Occurrence of Demodex species in patients with blepharitis and in healthy individuals: A 10-year observational study. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2018;62(6):628–633. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384....
Related articles
