Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dermatitis associated with "hypopodes" in a horse: the first case reported in Italy.
- Journal:
- Veterinary parasitology
- Year:
- 2000
- Authors:
- Carelle, M S et al.
- Affiliation:
- Dipartimento di Sanità · Italy
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report describes a unique case of skin irritation in a horse in Italy caused by a specific stage of mites called hypopodes. These tiny mites attach themselves to insects and can burrow into the horse's skin, leading to lesions that look similar to mange. While there have been few documented cases of this type of dermatitis in horses, it is believed that many cases may go unnoticed because the condition is not well understood. The irritation is thought to be an allergic reaction to the fluids from these mites. Overall, this case highlights the need for more awareness and research on this condition in horses.
Abstract
The authors report, for the first time in Italy, a case of dermatitis of "hypopodes" origin in a horse. The hypopodes are a particular nymphal stage of mites of the suborder Astigmata. The "hypopus" is non-feeding, lacks a mouth and has a ventral suctorial plate with suckers and conoids for attaching itself to insects as a mode of dispersal. Some of these larval stages can enter into the hair follicles and into the subcutaneous layers causing lesions similar to mange. There are few reports of dermatitis in horses specifically associated with the presence of hypopodes and these have been attributed to an allergic response to the body fluid of crushed hypopial stage. It may be that infestations of these nymphal stages are widespread, but the nature of the condition is not yet clear; therefore, they may be underdiagnosed.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11027864/