Burrowing-mite
Guides
Sarcoptes scabiei
Scabies Mite, Itch Mite
Sarcoptes scabiei is a parasitic mite that burrows into the epidermis of mammals, causing scabies in humans and sarcoptic mange in animals. The mite has a cosmopolitan distribution and infests numerous host species including humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. Adult females create characteristic S-shaped burrows in the stratum corneum where they deposit eggs. The disease produces intense pruritus through host immune responses to mites, eggs, and fecal pellets. Different host-adapted variants exist, though cross-infectivity between closely related hosts has been documented.