Importance and

Control of Acari
Parasitology Department
Medical faculty
Universitas Sumatera Utara

Acarology
Refreshing
Acari
Ticks and mites
Composed of two parts: gnathosoma & podosoma

Locomotion
Legs: hexapod larvae, nymph and adults octopod

Respiration
Diagnosis measurement
Stigmata
Integument

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Acarines
Four suborders of medically importance
acarines:
Metastigmata
Mesostigmata
Prostigmata
Astigmata

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Metastigmata
Medical Importance

Hard ticks (Ixodidae) and soft ticks

(Argasidae)
Causing irritation and ticks paralysis
Transmits diseases: spirochaeta,
viruses, rickettisiae, bacteria
(tularemia), anaplasma, piroplasma,
theileria
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Tick removal from ear of a patient

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A nymphal stage of tick

successfully removed

Metastigmata
Habitat
Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that are
often found in tall grass where they will wait to
attach to a passing host.
Ticks can't jump or fly. Method of
transportation: physical contact, some
species stalk the host from ground level,
emerging from cracks or crevices located in
the woods or even inside a home or kennel.

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Metastigmata
Habitat
Ticks can be found in most wooded or
forested regions throughout the world
(cosmopolitan).
In areas where there are deer trails or human
tracks.
Abundant near water, where warm-blooded
animals come to drink, and in meadows
wherever shrubs and brush provide woody
surfaces and cover.
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Metastigmata
Control

Control of ticks are desirable in areas

such as parks, lawns and other
recreational areas
Chemical control is most useful
Protective clothing treated with repellants
Vaccination of hosts with crude or purified
tick extracts
Use of anti-juvenile hormone agents
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Mesostigmata
Gamasid mites
Transmitting murine typhus, tularemia,
Korean hemorrhagic fever, coxackie
virus, and plaque

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Prostigmata
Medical Importance

Larva (chigger) as the parasitic stage

Leptotrombidium deliense carry Orientia
tustsugamushi, agent of scrub typhus.
The bite causes dermatitis

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Prostigmata
Habitat

Cosmopolitan
Unfed larva are found on ground
surfaces, stalks and stems of grasses,
leaves and twig litters, nests on trees
and houses, holes in ground,
overhanging roots, fallen logs, tree
holes, crevices in roofs and walls of
caves.
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Prostigmata
Habitat

Soil with high content of clay has few

chiggers; loose soil yield many chiggers
Newly emerged chiggers attach to hosts by
dropping from overhanging leaves, grasses,
twigs and roofs of ground tunnels; by
clinging to the hosts as they pass by; or
climbing onto the host as the host is resting
Also found in rodents, birds, bats, and
reptiles.
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Control
Habitat modification, live-stock control
from ticks infestation.
Prevent human-ticks/mites contact by
wearing extended clothes when going
through forest or bushy areas.
Biological: bird (guineafowl) and wasp
as predators.
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Control
Chemical: Phenothrine (85.7%) and
methoprene combination for topical
flea/tick therapy for felines. Phentothrin
kills adult ones, methoprene regulate
insect growth by interrupting the insects
life cycle by killing the eggs. This may
be toxic for human and animals.

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Astigmata
Medical Importance

Sarcoptes scabiei causing scabies.

Dust mites (e.g. Dermatophagoides
pterynissinus) causing rhinitis
allergic, asthma, and dermatitis
allergic.

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Sarcoptes scabiei
Life Cycle

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Human scabies on the hand

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Human scabies in the buttock

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Sarcoptes scabiei
Control

The disease is prevented by preventing

contact with patients or patients clothes,
avoid sharing of clothes, beds, or towels.
Treat all family and close contacts.
Oral Ivermectin.
Topical insecticides: permethrin 5%
malathion, lindane lotion, sulfur ointment and
soap.
Cleaning of environment.
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House dust mites

Control

Keeping house dry reduces mite densities.

Remove dust by vacuuming.
Expose mattress to sunlight to kill mites
and denature mite allergens.
Use plastic mattress covers and replace
mattress annually.
Use of miticides.
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Thank You

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