Demodex Mite, Rosacea and Skin Melanoma; Coincidence or Association?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the possible associations between Demodex folliculorum and a number of skin diseases.


METHODS
Standardized skin surface biopsy samples were obtained from the cheeks of 144 patients with histopathologically proven basal cell carcinoma (BCC, n = 27), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n = 28), melanoma (n = 23), discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE, n = 32), and rosacea (n = 34). Thirty-four sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers served as controls. Mite density (per cm2) and infestation (density ≥ 5) were compared between the controls and patients.


RESULTS
Mite infestation rates (%) did not differ significantly between the controls (20.6) and patients with BCC (22.2, p = 0.88), SCC (17.9, p = 0.79), melanoma (4.3, p = 0.08), and DLE (21.9, p = 0.90). Compared with the controls, the mite infestation rate was significantly higher in patients with rosacea (47.1, p = 0.02, odds ratio: 3.43, 95% confidence interval: 1.18-9.99). The mean mite density did not differ significantly between the controls (4.11 ± 2.17) and patients with BCC (5.34 ± 2.35, p = 0.75), SCC (3.57 ± 2.01, p = 0.38), and DLE (3.56 ± 1.34, p = 0.83), whereas it was significantly higher in patients with rosacea (8.78 ± 3.58, p = 0.02) and lower in patients with melanoma (1.89 ± 0.69, p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
D. folliculorum may be associated with rosacea and melanoma but not with BCC, SCC, or DLE.
Department of Pathology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. samanilab@yahoo.com.
Shahla
S
Talghini
Daniel F
DF
Fouladi
Shahla
S
Babaeinejad
Reihan
R
Shenasi
Simin Mirakhor
SM
Samani
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000150:complications; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002610:Cheek / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008179:Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D008925:Mites / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012393:Rosacea / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma