Mite Bites

ByRobert A. Barish, MD, MBA, University of Illinois at Chicago;
Thomas Arnold, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Reviewed/Revised Jun 2022 | Modified Sept 2022
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Mites, like ticks, are closely related to spiders. Biting mites, sometimes carried as parasites on the bodies of humans and animals, may transmit disease to humans.

(See also Introduction to Bites and Stings and Tick Bites.)

Mite infestations are common and are responsible for the intensely itchy rash caused by the bites of chiggers (mite larvae), for scabies, other itchy rashes, and a number of other disorders. The effects on the tissues around the bite vary in severity. In some Asian countries and Australia, chiggers may transmit scrub typhus.

Mites that bite come from a variety of sources, including

  • Birds

  • Rodents

  • Cats, dogs (especially puppies), and rabbits

  • Pigs

  • Straw, hay, seeds, and other plant material

Some mites, such as those that cause scabies, bite and burrow under the skin. Demodex mites cause a similar rash (sometimes called mange).

Some mites do not bite, but they cause allergic reactions such as

  • Grocer's itch (allergic contact dermatitis), which affects people who handle stored grain products, cheese, and other foods

  • Wheezing as a reaction to the waste products of dust mites commonly found in pillows, mattresses, and carpets

Treatment of Mite Bites

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