A genus of very minute (0.1–0.4 mm) follicular mites (family Demodicidae) that inhabit the skin and are usually found in the sebaceous glands and hair follicles of mammals, including humans. Some cases of blepharitis in humans have been attributed to D. infection; use of facial creams promotes D. infection in older women, resulting in facial erythema with follicular scaling. [G. demos, tallow, + dex, a woodworm]
- D. folliculorum a very common, universally distributed, and usually nonpathogenic species of mite that inhabits the hair follicles and sebaceous glands of humans, commonly of the face around the nose and scalp margins. SYN: Acarus folliculorum.
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de·mo·dex 'dem-ə-.deks, 'dēm- n
1) cap a genus (coextensive with a family Demodicidae) of minute elongated cylindrical mites with the legs greatly reduced that live in the hair follicles esp. about the face of humans and various furred mammals and in the latter often cause demodectic mange
2) any mite of the genus Demodex: FOLLICLE MITE
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n.
a genus of harmless parasitic mites, the follicle mites, found in the hair follicles and associated sebaceous glands of the face. They resemble tiny worms, about 0.4 mm in length, and their presence may give rise to dermatitis.
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Dem·o·dex (demґo-deks) [Gr. dēmos fat + dēx worm] a genus of acarid mites of the family Demodicidae, which cause demodectic mange. D. boґvis affects cattle; D. capґri, goats; D. caґti, cats; D. criceґti, hamsters; D. oґvis, sheep; and D. phylloiґdes, pigs. D. breґvis and D. folliculoґrum are hair follicle mites that infest humans.Medical dictionary. 2011.