Maria Assunta Cafiero, Domenico Galante, Donato Antonio Raele, Maria Concetta Nardella, Elisa Piccirilli and Michele Lomuto
Avian mite dermatitis is a skin affliction of mammals, including humans caused by bites of nidicoulous, haematophagous mites in the suborder Mesostigmata, which naturally parasitize birds. The red-mite, Dermanyssus gallinae is the most common species implicated in episodes of dermatitis in city-dwellers, worldwide. Symptoms manifest in the form of pruritic, erythematous papules on exposed/covered body areas. We report 20 urban outbreaks of red-mite dermatitis occurring in Southern Italy from 2001 to 2017 (June) and diagnosed through parasitological identification by veterinarian entomologists. The patients, a total of 54 subjects, were infested in their homes/ workplaces by both mites emigrating indoors from deserted nests of sinantropic birds close to the infested edifices and from pet canaries. Red-mites may be the explanation of cases of pruriginous dermatitis of obscure origin in citydwellers. The applying of the One Health approach is crucial for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of dermatitis by epizoonotic ectoparasites.
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