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Copyright @ Pol J Cosmetol
Pol J Cosmetol 2017, 20(2): 133-137pl  Demodicosis or real aspect of demodex mitesAgata Kaźmierczak 1/, Dominika Wcisło-Dziadecka 2/, Beniamin Grabarek 3/, Krzysztof Jasik 2/ 1/ Studenckie Koło Naukowe przy Zakładzie Badań Strukturalnych Skóry Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach 2/ Zakład Badań Strukturalnych Skóry, Katedra Kosmetologii, Wydział Farmaceutyczny z Oddziałem Medycyny Laboratoryjnej, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach 3/ Katedra i Zakład Biologii Molekularnej, Wydział Farmaceutyczny z Oddziałem Medycyny Laboratoryjnej, Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach Summary Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis are face mites of cosmopolitan character. They are found on hair follicles or sebaceous glands, both in humans and animals, causing a disease called demodicosis. Infestation with the mites occurs mostly through contact with the skin, if infested before, or through contact with cosmetics, bed-clothes, towels etc. The disease is fairly common as carriers of the mites are most of the adult people. Course of the disease is often asymptomatic but symptoms like local redness, pruritus, desquamation, papules or pustules can also appear. Demodex mites are often considered as etiological factors in simple acne, acne erythematosa, sebaceous skin inflammation or marginal blepharitis. If ocular surface becomes infested, symptoms like persistent pruritus, burning sensation, redness, dry eye or eyelash fragility can occur. In such cases the diagnosis should be based on an analysis of the lesion scrapings and analysis of the eyelashes. Therapeutic treatment is complex and takes a long time, consisitng chiefly of antibiotics. We are trying to describe this troublesome parasite in more detail. Key words: Demodex folliculorum, mites, demodicosis |