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Hair Follicle Mites in Man

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Arthropods and Human Skin

Abstract

Demodex folliculorum was discovered in 1841 in cerumen by Henle and independently described in detail as an inhabitant of the pilosebaceous follicle by Simon in 1842 (Lawrence 1916). Owen named the genus Demodex in 1843 (Hirst 1916). Erasmus Wilson described its appearance and possible pathogenicity in 1843, and since then it has been regarded by most dermatologists as a fairly harmless saprophyte. In dogs, however, it has long been known that Demodex is associated with a serious and sometimes fatal pustular mange and causes serious lesions in many other domestic animals (Martin 1913). Skin changes in man have been attributed to it by De Amicis (1918), Majocchi (1918), Dubreuilh (1901), Lawrence (1916) and Ayres (1930), and more recently this link has been re-inforced by studies by Grosshans et al. (1972). A small but growing body of opinion is now inclined to concede that Demodex may be pathogenic under certain circumstances.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Glasgow, UK

    John O’Donel Alexander MB, ChB, FRCP (Glasgow) (Emeritus Consultant Dermatologist, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Lately Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Dermatology)

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  1. John O’Donel Alexander MB, ChB, FRCP (Glasgow)
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© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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O’Donel Alexander, J. (1984). Hair Follicle Mites in Man. In: Arthropods and Human Skin. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1356-0_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1356-0_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-1358-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-1356-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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