Behrooz Barikbin - Dermatologist, Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Hanie Sadat Afraz - Microbiologist, R&D Department, Luvencare Company, Tehran, Iran
Tahereh Ghashghaei - PhD of Microbiology, R&D Department, Luvencare Company, Tehran, Iran Corresponding author: Tahereh Ghashghaei, PhD of Microbiology, R&D Department, Luvencare Company, Tehran, Iran
Maedeh Saveh - Microbiologist, R&D Department, Luvencare Company, Tehran, Iran

Background and Aim : Demodex folliculorum is a parasite of the human pilosebaceous follicle. D.folliculorum inhabits in the hair follicle and D.brevis in the sebaceous and meibomian glands. Follicle mites are quite motile, and migrate from follicle to follicle and transport different bacteria as a vector. Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous units. The objectives of this study were to assess the rate of Demodex infestation in acne and normal groups.Methods : Patients, ۱۸۰ case with average ۲۹.۳۷ years old, show acne feature on the facial skin. Control group were consist of ۱۸۶ case with normal skin. We took sebum sample of facial skin with acne tool from five different areas then counted mites under light microscope. Positive Demodex test means above five mites per cm۲.Results : Demodex test was positive in ۸۱ patients (۴۵%) and ۲۶ controls (۱۳.۱%). The average of Demodex density in acne group was ۱۱.۷۶ mites per cm۲. Demodex test was positive in ۱۲ men (۶.۶۶%) and in ۶۹ women (۳۸.۳%) in acne group. Cases with acne had higher odds of being infested with Demodex compared to those without.Conclusion : People with oily or mixed skin seems to favour Demodex proliferation. Demodex could be associated with acne vulgaris as a bacterial vector. Demodex mites show a predilection for areas of high sebum production and they have been shown to contain lipase. It seems people with acne vulgaris are prone to infested with Demodex.

Demodex folliculorum, Demodex Brevis, Acne Vulgaris