• Cause: Dermanyssus gallinae mites.
• Signs: irritation, anemia.
• Diagnosis: mite identification.
• Treatment: preventative, chemical.
• Prognosis: guarded prognosis which has improved with new treatment.

ℹ️Red mites are photophobic and spend much of their lifecycle in the environment.

ℹ️Print off the Factsheet on Red mite to give to your clients.

• Irritation: the hens show increased scratching and inflamed skin.
• Anemia: they can have a pale comb or wattle.
• Debility and lethargy.
• Restlessness.
• Feather loss and increased self-grooming.
• Red egg streaks: in severe infections, mites or blood streaks can be seen on the eggshells.
• Production drop.
• Fluctuating mortality.

• A pale, listless hen. Mites may not be seen as they are photophobic and only come out from the crevices in the chicken coop at night to feed on the hen.
• When mite populations are at an extreme level, they may be visible on the birds during the day, on laid eggs or migrate onto humans when handling birds.

• Worldwide.

• Young birds and chicks are particularly prone to debility, anemia and even death from the blood sucking mites.

• All poultry affected.

• Red mite can be a vector for diseases such as Salmonella Salmonellosis, Pasteurella Pasteurellosis, E. coli Colibacillosis, etc. There has been experimental transmission of Equine encephalitis virus, fowl pox, Coxiella, Borrelia.
• Mites can cause skin irritation to humans, especially if the coop is entered at night.

• Treatment can be expensive and prolonged.
• There can be significant loss of production.

• Dermanyssus gallinae is the most common blood sucking mite found in poultry worldwide.
• They are photophobic so remain off the bird during daylight hours.
• They live in cracks and crevices in the environment and come out at night to feed on the birds, causing distress and irritation.
• They feed on the birds by sucking their blood in areas that are thin skinned and warm like the cloaca.
• Red mites have a direct lifecycle which can progress from egg through larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult in only 7 days with warm environmental conditions.

Specific

• Wooden coops that haven’t been cleaned; mites will find cracks and crevasses to hide in during the day.
• Mites can live in environment for up to 6 months without feeding.
• Flocks of young birds.

• Anemia is often seen with severe red mite infestations due to the sheer numbers of feeding mites. They are immensely irritating to the birds and can lead to severe agitation and feather pulling.
• Mortality is linked with blood loss and the introduction of secondary bacterial infections through the skin lesions.

• Mites can reside in the environment without feeding for up to 6 months.
• Red mites have a direct lifecycle which can progress from egg through larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult in only 7 days in warm environmental conditions.

• Mites lay eggs in their environment.
• Depending on climatic conditions the time from egg to adult varies but can be as little as 7 days.
• Mites will hide in small cracks and crevasses during daylight hours forming clumps that are visible to the human eye.
• Mites will migrate onto the live birds at night.

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Cirak V Y, Aksit D, Cihan H & Gokbulut C (2018) Plasma dispositions and concentrations of ivermectin in eggs following treatment of laying hens. N Z Vet J 66 (3), 121-125 PubMed.
• Hinkle N C, Jirjis F, Szewczyk E et al(2018) Efficacy and safety assessment of a water-soluble formulation of fluralaner for treatment of natural Ornithonyssus sylviarum infestations in laying hens. Parasites Vectors 11 (1), 99 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Murillo A C (2022) Mites of Poultry. In: MSD Veterinary Manual. Website: www.msdvetmanual.com.
• G Poland & A Raftery (2014) Eds BSAVA Manual of Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery. BSAVA, UK.

• ICB Pharma (Dergall), Moździerzowców 6a, 43-602 Jaworzno, Poland. Tel: +48 327454700; Email: office@icbpharma.com. Website: www.dergall.com.