TLDR All adults have Demodex mites, which vary by region.
The study used a new molecular method to explore the prevalence and diversity of Demodex mites on humans, revealing that 100% of individuals over 18 years old hosted at least one species, indicating these mites were universal associates of adult humans. The research also employed the 18S rRNA gene to investigate the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of Demodex lineages, finding intraspecific structure within the human-associated species D. brevis. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that the D. brevis clade was geographically structured, implying that further sampling from different regions could uncover new lineages.
1113 citations
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August 1999 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Hair follicle biology advancements may lead to better hair growth disorder treatments.
9 citations
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April 2023 in “Frontiers in immunology” New technologies help us better understand how skin microbes affect skin diseases.
March 2021 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” A specific immune response helps control mite populations on the skin, maintaining healthy hair follicles.
October 2020 in “Veterinary Dermatology” New treatments and diagnostic methods for various animal skin conditions showed promising results.
June 2020 in “Comparative medicine” NSG mice had the most mites, and genetic factors affect immune response and susceptibility.
41 citations
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December 2015 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” The conclusion is that a new biopsy technique and humidity chamber help study skin mites better and suggest mite overpopulation may cause skin diseases.