General information and life cycle
In science, the parasites are called gamas mites. You can often find them in the apartment. They belong to the phylum Arthropods, class Arachnids. They have more than 5 thousand subspecies and are found in almost every corner of the planet, except Antarctica. They parasitize humans, birds and animals.
In nature, gamas ticks are carriers of various diseases. The body of an adult reaches 1 mm in length, has an oval shape, and is light yellow or bright orange in color. They belong to small species, since many relatives reach 5-10 mm in length, and the size of ixodid ticks often reaches 2.5 cm. The structure of the rat parasite has some features:
- the body is flattened, has many hard setae;
- the oral apparatus can be piercing-sucking, gnawing or licking, depending on the method of feeding;
- have three eyes located on the sides and in the center;
- larvae of individuals have 6 legs, nymphs and adults - 8;
- females and males are almost the same size.
Unlike some viviparous species, gamasid parasites are oviparous. Mating usually occurs in the spring. About 12 hours after the process, the female lays about 300-600 eggs. The lifespan of a female rarely exceeds 30 days. During this period, she manages to make several clutches.
The life cycle of the parasite is no different from other species. It begins with the laying of eggs by the female. The process occurs at the end of spring. After some time, larvae emerge from the eggs, resembling a smaller copy of the adult. Already at this stage of development, the arachnid poses a threat to humans and animals.
The individual spends the entire summer period in the form of a larva and only in the fall does it enter the nymph stage and increase in size. It is in this form that the parasite survives the cold. Sometimes the nymph becomes a mature tick in winter and hibernates. Otherwise, the parasite may die.
The larvae usually do not feed; the female or nymph most often parasitizes an animal or a person. The first one needs to eat well; the number of eggs laid after fertilization directly depends on this. The second simply needs food to move to the next stage of development.
They parasitize mainly blood-sucking species that live close to animals or humans. You can meet arachnids in an apartment, private house, rodent burrows, barns for cattle or poultry. After attaching to the host, the individual lives for a long time in the animal’s ear, nasal cavity or on the skin. Sometimes gamasid mites live on reptiles, for example, snakes and small lizards.
Main types of parasite
Identifying the exact species of gamasid arachnid is difficult, but there are several common species. The most common mites are rat, chicken, and mouse mites. Each has its own characteristics.
Chicken is considered a temporary parasite. Lives in bird nests and barns. After joining the victim, it feeds on its blood for several days. It has a red color, after saturation the shade darkens a little. The length of the body does not exceed 1 mm. The tick is nocturnal and usually hides during the daytime. The stages of development do not differ from other varieties. When the parasite appears in chickens, geese, and ducks, the following symptoms are observed: pallor of the combs and intense loss of feathers, rash and scratching at the bite sites, weakness and loss of appetite. Chickens often stop laying eggs.
The rat mite is brown in color. The structure is almost no different from other gamasid species, but a kind of trunk protrudes beyond the body. After saturation, the color of the parasite changes to dark red. A special feature of this species is the rapid transition of the larva to the nymph stage, lasting only a few days. Unlike other species, rat mites, even in the larval stage, require adequate nutrition. If the nymphs do not receive the required amount of food, the transformation into a female does not occur.
Rat parasites live near human homes, where there are an abundance of rodent burrows. Even decorative domestic rats are often affected. In warm conditions they reproduce intensively even in winter. They pose a threat to humans, especially children, and provoke the development of rat tick-borne dermatitis.
Mice live only in mouse burrows and are dark brown or gray in color. Sometimes they grow up to 3 mm in length. They can go without food for 6 months. Females lay eggs even without mating, but only males emerge from them. Parasites are resistant to the external environment, often attack humans, and carry many dangerous diseases. In the absence of food, they parasitize guinea pigs, hamsters, chinchillas and other ornamental rodents.
Separately, it is worth highlighting snake mites that live in zoos and terrariums. Individuals feed on the blood of lizards, snakes and other reptiles, often causing the death of the animal.
Danger to humans
Gamas mites are common in apartments or private houses, despite the fact that they parasitize rodents. They attack humans, feed on blood and transmit various diseases. An attack by several individuals will not cause excessive blood loss, but is almost 100% guaranteed to cause some kind of pathology.
Through a bite, a tick can infect a person with fever, rickettsiosis, and typhus. Nonspecific diseases often develop, for example, snake, mouse, and rat tick-borne dermatitis. They are characterized by a severe course and a tendency to relapse. When a person is bitten, the following symptoms appear:
- sensation of crawling across the body;
- redness of the bite site, spreading to healthy tissue;
- severe itching in the affected area;
- upon closer examination, you can notice a black or red dot at the site where the parasite attaches to the skin;
- the appearance of a rash of varying sizes around the bite;
- weakness, fatigue, headache;
- dizziness, loss of appetite.
In severe cases, the patient’s body temperature rises sharply to +38−39 degrees, and symptoms of intoxication are observed. There is no appetite, the patient is constantly thirsty, abdominal pain, loose stools or constipation appear.
Some patients experience disorders of the musculoskeletal system in the form of pain in the joints, muscles, weakness in the limbs, and inability to move quickly. In addition, there are cases when a person is completely immobilized. Clinical manifestations are rare, but are considered a reason to immediately contact a specialist. Any delay or self-medication can be fatal, especially if several characteristic symptoms appear at once.
How to get rid of rat mites?
The gamas mite cannot be removed without the use of pest control services, but before starting the extermination procedure, samples must be taken to make sure that this particular type of mite is bothering residents. After receiving positive results, specialists perform deratization and disinfestation.
They treat not only the living space, but also the places where parasites enter the apartment. If there are pets in the house, it is important to treat their bedding with acaricides, and clean the animals themselves from parasites with insecticidal agents. It is recommended to repeat the entire range of pest control work after 6-8 months.
For prevention, it is necessary to constantly monitor the population of rats and other rodents, regularly perform rodent control, seal their holes, and monitor the sanitary condition of premises, including basements of high-rise buildings.
First aid for a bite
Rat mites in apartments often attack adults and children. If you are bitten, it is important to give yourself first aid before the doctor arrives. If the parasite remains on the skin after the bite, it must be removed. Do not pull or push as this will only make the situation worse. It is recommended to treat the arachnid with vegetable oil. The method has been used for many years and prevents ticks from breathing.
As a result, he independently tries to leave the victim, and no additional manipulation is required. Kerosene can be used for the same purpose. After removing the parasite, it is necessary to treat the affected area and the skin around it with an antiseptic solution. Alcohol or hydrogen peroxide will do.
It is not recommended to perform other actions without a doctor. Typically, specialists prescribe antihistamines to prevent the development of allergies and tick-borne dermatitis. Zodak and its analogues are often used. In severe cases, glucocorticoids are indicated, for example, Dexamethasone, Prednisolone. External agents stimulate healing and prevent infection:
- Benzyl benzoate ointment is available in tubes of 25 and 30 g. It has a decongestant effect, relieves itching, reduces pain, and accelerates recovery. It is prescribed to treat the bite site 2 times a day for 7-10 days. After lubricating the skin, it is recommended to leave the product for 2-3 hours, then rinse with warm water. The medicine is contraindicated in children under 3 years of age, women during breastfeeding and pregnancy.
- Sulfur ointment is considered an effective treatment for tick bites. It has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antiparasitic properties. It is considered safe and rarely provokes negative reactions. The composition must be applied once a day for a week.
- Wilkilson's ointment has not only antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, but also stimulates healing and prevents the addition of a fungal infection. The product must be used daily for 3 days, lubricating the affected area. After this, it is recommended to use it several more times with a break of 1-2 days.
Sulfuric ointment
Benzyl benzoate ointment
Wilkinson's ointment
Such medications should only be prescribed by a doctor.
It is strongly not recommended to increase or decrease the dosage, prolong or stop the course of therapy on your own.
Infection of residential premises
Unfortunately, situations are possible when rat and mouse parasites infect apartments. This is a truly serious problem that requires the help of specialists. The first thing you need to do is make sure that the room is infested with rat mites. This can be done by a disinfectant. In the event that infection is confirmed, disinsection is carried out.
When carrying out disinfestation, potent drugs are used that are aimed at getting rid of parasites. In this case, it is necessary to treat all possible locations of insects. In cases where pets live in the house, be sure to visit a veterinarian who will recommend a remedy for treatment.
It is very important in this situation to find the cause of the infection; if this happened due to the presence of mice and rats in the basement, then this room must also be treated, since the situation will repeat
