Grocer's itch is a cutaneous condition characterized by a
pruritic
An itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes a strong desire or reflex to scratch. Itches have resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itches have many similarities to pain, and while both a ...
dermatitis
Dermatitis is a term used for different types of skin inflammation, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened ...
that occurs from coming into contact with
mite
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods) of two large orders, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as eac ...
s such as ''Carpoglyphus passularum'' (a fruit mite) or ''
Glycyphagus domesticus'' (a common house mite). Contact usually occurs when handling food with mites in it, such as
figs,
dates,
prune
A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica'') tree. Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. Use of the term ''prune'' for fresh plums is obsolete except when applied to varieties of ...
s, grain, cheese, or other dried foods.
[grocer's itch, in Mosby’s Medical, Nursing &Allied Health Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Mosby-YearBook, Inc., 1994, p. 695]
See also
*
Grain itch
*
Gamasoidosis
Gamasoidosis, also known as dermanyssosis, is a frequently unrecognized form of zoonotic dermatitis, following human infestation with avian mites of the genera ''Dermanyssus'' or ''Ornithonyssus''. It is characterized by pruritic erythematous pa ...
*
List of mites associated with cutaneous reactions
References
Parasitic infestations, stings, and bites of the skin
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