From:
Bruce Williams, DVM
Date: 2001-07-14 23:20:00 UTC
Subject: Re: human ear mites
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., CandiceBush@a... wrote:
> Stephanie, I know it's unlikely, but possible for humans to
contract ear
> mites from animals. There is an anecdotal tale about the vet who
gave
> himself ear mites on purpose to see what it felt like...said he
could hear
> them crawling around in there, stood the discomfort for about a day
before he
> treated himself. I don't know if the mites could procreate and
survive long
> term in a human. We need a vet or maybe an entomologist for this
one!
There is no report of Otodectes infection of humans in the medical
literature, and I think the tale of a veterinarian infecting himself
is probably an urban myth.
The likelihood of transmittion of the mites by petting is fairly
remote, but could conceivably happen - however,the transmission is
generally from animal to animal, and with a population of cats and
ferrets in the house in question - I would think that this would
probably be enough to keep the infection going.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, dVM