''Cheyletiella'' is a genus of

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 that live on the skin surface of

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...

cat The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

s, and

rabbit Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also includes the hares), which is in the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). They are familiar throughout the world as a small herbivore, a prey animal, a domesticated ...

s. The adult mites are about 0.385 millimeters long, have eight legs with combs instead of claws, and have

palpi Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicera ...

that end in prominent hooks. They do not burrow into the skin, but live in the

keratin Keratin () is one of a family of structural fibrous proteins also known as ''scleroproteins''. It is the key structural material making up Scale (anatomy), scales, hair, Nail (anatomy), nails, feathers, horn (anatomy), horns, claws, Hoof, hoove ...

level. Their entire 21-day

life cycle Life cycle, life-cycle, or lifecycle may refer to: Science and academia *Biological life cycle, the sequence of life stages that an organism undergoes from conception to reproduction *Life-cycle hypothesis, in economics *Erikson's stages of psy ...

is on one host. They cannot survive off the host for more than 10 days.

Cheyletiellosis

Cheyletiellosis (also known as ''Cheyletiella'' dermatitis),"Freedberg, et al. (2003). ''Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine''. (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. . is a mild

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 ...

caused by

s of the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

''Cheyletiella''. It is also known as walking dandruff due to skin scales being carried by the mites. Cheyletiellosis is seen more commonly in areas where

flea Flea, the common name for the order (biology), order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by hematophagy, ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult f ...

s are less prevalent, because of the decreased use of flea products that are also efficacious for the treatment of this mite. Cheyletiellosis is highly contagious. Transmission is by direct contact with an affected animal.

Presentation

Symptoms in animals vary from no signs to intense itching, scales on the skin, and hair loss. The lesions are usually on the

back The human back, also called the dorsum (: dorsa), is the large posterior area of the human body, rising from the top of the buttocks to the back of the neck. It is the surface of the body opposite from the chest and the abdomen. The vertebral c ...

of the animal. Symptoms in humans include multiple red, itchy bumps on the arms, trunk, and buttocks. Because humans are not a host for the mite, the symptoms usually go away in about three weeks. Though the medical community does not consider a human mite infestation a legitimate diagnosis, it will treat the symptoms if necessary.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is by finding the mites or eggs microscopically in a skin scraping, combing, or on acetate tape applied to the skin.

Treatment

The most common treatment in animals is weekly use of some form of topical

pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...

appropriate for the affected animal, often an anti

product.

Fipronil Fipronil is a broad-spectrum insecticide that belongs to the phenylpyrazole insecticide class. Fipronil disrupts the insect central nervous system by blocking the ligand-gated ion channel of the GABAA receptor ( IRAC group 2B) and glutamate-g ...

works well, especially in cats. Cats can also be treated with a lime sulfur insecticide dip or a shampoo with non-pyrethrin insecticide for two weeks beyond the conclusion of symptoms. In unresponsive cases,

ivermectin Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug. After its discovery in 1975, its first uses were in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis. Approved for human use in 1987, it is used to treat infestations including head lice ...

is used.

Selamectin Selamectin, sold under the brand name Revolution, among others, is a topical parasiticide and anthelminthic used on dogs and cats. It treats and prevents infections of heartworms, fleas, ear mites, sarcoptic mange (scabies), and certain typ ...

is also recommended for treatment. None of these products are approved for treatment of cheyletiellosis. Other pets in the same household should also be treated, and the house or kennel must be treated with an environmental

spray.

Species

* '' Cheyletiella blakei'' Smiley, 1970 — infests cats (''

Felis catus The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the d ...

''), USA (Washington DC) * '' Cheyletiella parasitivorax'' — infests rabbits (''

Oryctolagus cuniculus The European rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus'') or coney is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula (Spain, Portugal and Andorra) and southwestern France. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Oryctolagus''. The European ra ...

''), France * '' Cheyletiella romerolagi'' (Fain, 1972) — infests '' Romerolagus diazi'', USA (New York) * '' Cheyletiella strandtmanni'' Smiley, 1970 — infests hares (''

Lepus Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genu ...

'' spp.), Taiwan * ''

Cheyletiella yasguri ''Cheyletiella yasguri'' is a species of mites from the genus '' Cheyletiella'' popularly known as "walking dandruff" and one of the many ectoparasites that targets domestic dogs. Characterized as the “bite and run” parasite, the first repor ...

'' Smiley, 1965 — infests dogs ''C. yasguri'' and ''C. blakei'' can transiently affect humans.

References