Study of Demodex Mites: Challenges and Solutions

The document from 2015 reviews the challenges in studying Demodex mites, microscopic parasites associated with skin disorders, and proposes solutions for their extraction and analysis. It highlights the difficulty in quantifying mite populations and maintaining their viability ex vivo for research. The authors developed a modified standardized skin surface biopsy (MSSSB) technique that improved the accuracy of mite counts and facilitated the extraction of live mites using standard superglue. They also created a humidity chamber to maintain mite viability post-extraction. The study explored methods to rupture mites to study their internal contents and suggested that an overpopulation of mites might trigger an immune response contributing to skin diseases like rosacea. The document does not specify the number of mites or human subjects involved, so the strength of the study cannot be assessed from the summary.