Cytological Diagnosis of Skin Diseases: The Presence of Mites of the Genus Demodex

The article is devoted to the role of cytological studies in the diagnosis of skin diseases in combination with the presence of Demodex mites in biomaterial sample. Cytological examination plays an important role in the diagnosis of skin diseases, particularly in the detection of malignant neoplasms. This method allows for the evaluation of qualitative and quantitative changes in cells as well as the identification of extracellular and intracellular inclusions and microorganisms. The article provides literary data on the history of discovery, structure and life cycle of the tick of the genus Demodex. The pathogenesis, prevalence and clinical manifestations of demadecosis, a disease caused by parasitization of opportunistic ticks of the genus Demodex, are highlighted. The analysis of the experience of cytological diagnostics in the study of skin samples and found neoplasms in combination with the detected mites of the genus Demodex is presented. Examples of clinical cases where pathological changes in cells were found are considered, 18 photos of cytological preparations from the own archive of the cytological laboratory of the Tambov Regional Oncological Clinical Dispensary are presented. Clinical examples demonstrate that as a result of the vital activity of the Demodex mite, significant and pronounced epithelial changes occur, causing certain difficulties for a clear and unambiguous response from the cytologist in terms of differentiating the goodness or malignancy of the process