Abstract
Mites serve as pathogens, allergens, or microbial containers, which can seriously damage the health of humans and animals. The substantial amount of mite species and their similar morphology make it complicated to identify and classify. Our mouse breeder incidentally noticed papular-type erythema with itching and peeling of the skin in several places, and an investigation revealed that this symptom was caused by an uncommon parasite that appeared on the skin and around the nest of the mice. By morphological observation, DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and DNA sequencing, we roughly identified the category of the parasite as a mite. Then, we designed a specific primer cox1, amplified and sequenced the mitochondrial cox1 gene fragment of the mite, calculated the intraspecific and interspecific differences, and reconstructed the phylogenetic tree for sequence alignment. Finally, this species was identified and named this Ornithonyssus bacoti-KF. According to the ivermectin gradient test, we found that 0.1 mg/mL concentration of ivermectin solution was the most effective for mite removal in the bath, with no recurrence after 6 months of treatment. Ornithonyssus bacoti, diagnosed by microscopic exam and confirmed by PCR amplification sequencing, was treated with ivermectin to control the rodent-borne parasite effectively.
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Funding
This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province [grant numbers 182300410316, Y. Z.], Key Science and Technology Program of Henan Province [grant numbers 202102310808, W. L.], and Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Hebi (W. L.)
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Huimin Xu drafted the initial article; Ying Wang and Jiaqi Fang reviewed and revised the article; Jiaxin Wang conducted the figures. Yun Zhou guided the writing.
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The protocol was approved by Committee of Medical Ethics and Welfare for Experimental Animals, Henan University School of Medicine, in line with the “Guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” published by NIH.
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Xu, H., Wang, Y., Fang, J. et al. A rapid diagnosis and treatment of Ornithonyssus bacoti infection. Parasitol Res 122, 1567–1572 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-023-07858-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-023-07858-8