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Prevalence of Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis in patients with blepharitis and chalazion

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Abstract

Purpose

Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis are common ectoparasites on skin that also can lead to blepharitis and chalazion. The aim of our study is to determine the prevalence of Demodex spp. in eyelashes of patients diagnosed with chronic blepharitis and chalazion.

Methods

This study included 330 patients diagnosed with chronic blepharitis, 70 patients diagnosed with chalazion and 130 volunteers without any ocular problems. Patient eyelashes were examined under a light microscope at magnifications of × 40, × 100 and × 400. Demodex spp. were determined.

Results

Parasite prevalence was significantly higher in blepharitis (75.5%) and chalazion groups (70%) compared to the control group (16.2%) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of D. folliculorum in the blepharitis group and D. brevis in the chalazion group was found to be significantly higher compared to other groups (p < 0.05). The average number of mites per eyelash was found to be significantly higher in patients with Demodex positive blepharitis (p = 0.001) and in chalazion patients (p = 0.047) than in the control group. It has been determined that mite positivity increases with age in blepharitis and control groups (p < 0.05). In the group with blepharitis, it was found that mite positivity was significant in the presence of symptoms (p = 0.0001) and Demodex positivity decreased as the education level of individuals increased (p = 0.039).

Conclusion

The results of the study show that Demodex spp infestations should be considered in chronic blepharitis and chalazion.

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Acknowledgements

Study approval numbered 2018/154 was obtained from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Tayfur Ata Sökmen Faculty of Medicine. The study was supported by Coordination of Scientific Research Projects of Mustafa Kemal University.

Funding

The study was financially supported by Coordination of Scientific Research Projects of Mustafa Kemal University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

    Serife Akkucuk & Ozlem Makbule Kaya

  2. Raufbey Mah. Ataturk Cad. 329/3 Merkez, Osmaniye, Turkey

    Serife Akkucuk

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Private Sevgi Hospital, Osmaniye, Turkey

    Lokman Aslan & Talat Ozdemir

  4. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

    Ugur Uslu

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  1. Serife Akkucuk
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Correspondence to Serife Akkucuk.

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Akkucuk, S., Kaya, O.M., Aslan, L. et al. Prevalence of Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis in patients with blepharitis and chalazion. Int Ophthalmol 43, 1249–1259 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-022-02523-y

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