Demodex (dem'od-ecks)

A genus of the cla Arachnid a and the order A car in a, which includes the mites and the ticks. D. folliculorum. The pimple mite; a species that frequently inhabits the hair sacs and sebaceous follicles; especially those of the nose and ears and in persons with greasy skins and such as have acne. In man its presence is a ociated with no symptoms except occasional comedones and inflammation of the margins of the eyelids; in the dog, fox, cat, sheep, horse, cow, etc., in which it differs slightly from the parasite found in man, it causes irritation and inflammation of the skin and lo of hair. Three other varieties are D. can is, D. phyllo ides of the pig, and D. bovis. [Gr., demos, fat, -f dex, a wood-worm.]