Dermanyssus gallinae: A Never-Ending Story for the Poultry Industry and Public Health

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is a blood-sucking mite of domestic, wild and synanthropic birds. It poses a significant threat to the poultry industry and hen health worldwide, particularly in Europe. D. gallinae is increasingly suspected of being a disease vector, and attacks on alternative hosts, like humans, are becoming more common. This is especially the case for poultry workers, but ordinary city residents living close to birds’ nests are also coming under attack, meaning that D. gallinae is emerging as a public health problem. The economic importance of this pest has greatly increased for the poultry industry; although poultry production has moved from conventional cage systems towards a more welfare-oriented breeding system in many parts of the world, D. gallinae is likely to become more widespread and difficult to control. Synthetic acaricides are still the dominant means of control, although resistance and treatment failure are widely reported. Furthermore, there are also worrying reports of possible collateral effects on human health. Correct identification of the red mite is the first requirement before control methods are applied. A general updated overview of D. gallinae and the related problems are presented here.