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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

In Vivo Confocal Microscopy: A Standard Operating Procedure for the Detection of Demodex Mites at the Eyelid Margin
Published on: July 3, 2025
Blepharitis Caused by Demodex
Mehtap Demirkazık1, İsmail Soner Koltaş1
1Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Parazitoloji Anabilim Dalı, Adana, Türkiye
Objective:
Demodicosis is a Skin disease in humans caused by Demodex folliculorum (D. folliculorum) and Demodex brevis (D.brevis) mites. Demodex infestation is mostly located in sebaceous and meibomian glands in the hair follicles. The aim of this study was to determine the age and sex distribution of Demodex infestation in patients with blepharitis.
Methods:
Between 2011-2018, eyelashes from 335 patients with blepharitis, visual impairment or conjunctivitis attached to the cellophane tape were sent to the laboratory of Department of Medical Parasitology in Çukurova University Medical Faculty and were examined within 1 hour.
Results:
D. folliculorum was detected in 143 (42.6%) of the 335 patients. Of the patients in whom D. folliculorum was detected, 50 (35%) were female and 93 (65%) were male. The mean age of patients with D. folliculorum was 64.1 years and the mean age of patients without D. folliculorum was 52.7 years.
Conclusion:
In patients with blepharitis, the incidence of Demodex increases with age.
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