Demodex folliculorum hominis (Simon): incidence in a normomaterial and in patients under systemic treatment with erythromycin or glucocorticoid.

A study was made of 20 cilia and sebum from 20 nasal follicles from each of 86 persons. In a normomaterial aged 20-30 years. Demodex folliculorum was present in the nasal follicles in 25% and in the cilia in 29% of the subjects. This is consistent with the very high incidence we found 10 years ago. Systemic erythromycin treatment did not erradicate the mite, but the incidence decreased in both regions. Systemic glucocorticoid treatment lowered the incidence in the nasal region, whereas the incidence increased in the ciliary region.