Ectoparasites

This term is generally used to refer to pathogens such as ticks, fleas, lice, parasitic flies and mites that attach or burrow into the skin and remain there for relatively long periods of time. Ectoparasites can parasitise a wide range of organisms, from humans to insects to plants.

Ectoparasites of small mammals and medium mammals are divided into two main classes which are Insecta and Arachnida. The members of the class Arachnida including order Ixodida (ticks) and Mesostigmata (mites) meanwhile class Insecta comprising Phthiraptera (lice) and Siphonaptera (fleas).

Ectoparasitoses refer to infestation with parasites that live on or in the skin. Some ectoparasites, such as many of the species of lice for example, live in continuous association with their host throughout their life-cycle and are therefore highly dependent on the host.

It can cause considerable morbidity. In many cases, infestations cause little damage to the host and do not require treatment, but in others the arthropod ectoparasite can cause serious disease, either directly by the physical damage they cause, or indirectly by transmitting microorganisms or encouraging secondary infection.

In developing countries population groups are simultaneously infested with several ectoparasite species, the parasite burden and risk of reinfestation are high, and compliance for prolonged and/or repeated treatment is poor.
Ectoparasites