Human hair follicle mites and forensic acarology

Abstract

The hair follicle mites of the genus Demodex (Demodecidae) were first discovered in humans in 1841. Since then, members of this host-specific genus have been found in 11 of the 18 orders of eutherian mammals with most host species harboring two or more species of Demodex. Humans are host to D. folliculorum and D. brevis. The biology, natural history, and anatomy of these mites as related to their life in the human pilosebaceous complex is reviewed. This information may provide insight into the application of Demodex as a tool for the forensic acarologist/entomologist.

High-Definition Optical Coherence Tomography for the in vivo Detection of Demodex Mites

“…According to the literature, demodex mites have a size of around 35 µm in diameter which is hardly possible to detect in a vertical imaging mode by conventional OCT systems [24]. Nevertheless, the size of an adult mite can be up to 290 µm in length which comes close to a scabies mite with a diameter of 240–350 µm, which has been successfully imaged before by OCT.…”

Global divergence of the human follicle mite Demodex folliculorum : Persistent associations between host ancestry and mite lineages

“…The association between Demodex and Homo sapiens is likely to be an ancient one: The broad distribution of these mites across mammal species (11), coupled with the ancient date of divergence estimated between the two species known to be found on humans (12), suggests that Demodex originated and diversified with early mammals. Furthermore, Demodex seem likely to have been carried along whenever their hosts migrated, because they are ubiquitous inhabitants of human skin (13,14). Finally, in comparison with the other human associates that have been studied to date, Demodex mites are more tightly associated with human bodies than are lice, while their generation times are slower than those of bacteria and viruses but are faster than those of rodents, making them a complementary system with which to understand the evolution of both humans and human associates.…”

House Dust Mites, Other Domestic Mites and Forensic Medicine

“…In forensic acarology it is necessary to produce the data that clearly demonstrate how mites can contribute to investigations ). Therefore, a following priority is to to provide more user and friendly identification aids, such as differential diagnoses and/or keys for different groups of synanthropic or semisynanthropic mites, including the domestic and storage mites (Baker, 1999;Colloff, 1998;Desch, 2009;Solarz, 2011).…”

“…Different indoor environments are very important places for forensic investigations, but the richness of mite biodiversity, phylogenetic relationships between different groups of domestic mites and their associations with potential hosts has not been exploited by forensic investigators. Summarizing it should be stressed that knowledge about occurrence of particular species of parasitic and/or synanthropic on man or in human environment as well as the correct identification of mites colonising dead body are very important factors in forensic investigations of past human activity (Perotti, 2009b;OConnor, 2009;Turner, 2009;Solarz, 2009;Desch, 2009;Baker, 2009, Proctor, 2009). …”