title: The Presence of Demodex Folliculorum in Various Obese Groups According to BMI Levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to detect the presence of the parasite Demodex folliculorum (DF) in various obese groups according to BMI Levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 182 patients (40.8 ± 14.8 years, min-max age 19 - 73 years) were enrolled in the study, of those 65 (35.7%) were female and 117 (64.3%) were male. They had previously applied to Mustafa Kemal University (Faculty of Medicine, Endocrine Outpatient Clinic) during 2012. A standardized skin surface biopsy method was used to research the existence of DF. Patients were classified into four main groups, including: obese (n = 89), overweight (n = 31), normal (n = 32), and underweight (n = 30).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between groups in terms of age and sex. The total DF positivity was 19 (21.3%) in obese patients. Among those with positive DF, the mean BMI was 35.7 ± 12.1 kg/m(2), while those with negative DF had a mean BMI of 29.2 ± 9.2 kg/m(2). There was a significant difference between two groups (P = 0.002). Also, the underweight group has significantly higher DF positivity in comparison to the normal weight group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DF positivity was significantly higher in obese patients in accordance with the physiopathologic nature of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, School of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey. drecepfatih@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Recep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dokuyucu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem Aycan
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yula
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ustun
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, School of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cumali
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gokce
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008925:Mites; D009765:Obesity / Q000469:parasitology*; D012867:Skin / Q000469:parasitology; D013851:Thinness / Q000469:parasitology*; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult