Comments on: demodex bacteria, one baby step at a time

By: Karen Raley

Karen Raley — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:01:47 +0000

I have been under siege of demotex mites on my face, rosacea, on my scalp with hair loss in that area and eyelashes and eyebrows also. I son sent your article to me as I’m trying doctors who don’t believe me and treat me for dermitas. I did get one to give (Dr Assistant ?) me a tube of permethrin cream ONLY after I visited her three times and became a pest to her. She ignored everything I told her. So after using the tube for which I really had no instructions, and have not had results except very little.
I don’t know why doctors are so resistant to treating these mites. I even took articles etc. she wouldn’t even look at them.
I don’t know who to see and I am really feeling down. Tried tea tree oil but no instrctions on how to use it. Bought generic ttr shampoo and conditioner. Results are minimal.
So, here I am searching for as much info I can find, Your article(s) and or notes on roscea are good for me to see I’m not alone.
I’m just a minnow in a sea of demodex mites and no one to help/catch me with my problem.
I’m going to continue to read your followup comments and hope I find an olive branch I can reach for help.
Just wanted to…..I don’t know……just get it out there to other “believers” and are lost as I am.
Thank you for reading my comment.

By: David Pascoe

David Pascoe — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:56:41 +0000

It is interesting that only the rosacea sufferers’ blood showed a reaction to the 2 proteins that they isolated – something that is worth investigating further. If they could show that that these 2 proteins could somehow induce an immune response in rosacea sufferers in general, then we would indeed want to know why !

The whole inflammatory pathway vs. bacteria argument is also something that needs to nailed down. It feels a bit like the chicken and an egg argument. What came first, the bacteria fielding the antigens or are the bacteria just bystanders to another reason that the inflammation is present ? Add to the mix the fact that antibiotics in low doses interrupt the inflammation without killing the bacteria themselves, but still show a reduction in rosacea symptoms.

I wonder if low doses of antibiotics also eliminate the antigens that the bacteria produce ?

More good question that needs to be addressed !

regards,
davidp.

By: Artist

Artist — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:54:00 +0000

I’m going to be more optimistic on this one. On the point of whether or not B. Oleronius is the true culprit, the study is a small step. However, I think they discovered a lot along the way. I found the details to be extremely eye-opening. I read the paper, and it’s complicated, but I think I understood it enough to comment on a few points.

First off, they pointed out all the huge holes in in the anti-inflammatory theory. I had never stopped to think about it, but I’m now much more open to the idea that antibiotics help by clearing away bacteria containing antigens we are allergic to (B. Oleroneous or otherwise). Consider the fact that we tend to get worse when we eat sugar and carbs, the most appealing food for bacteria. Cut sugar and decrease carbs for a day, bacterial activity decreases, symptoms are depressed.

Also, the antibiotics that work for rosacea are the same ones that B. Oleroneus are sensitive to. That’s a big coincidence.

OK we already knew that stuff, but here’s more: The researchers found that two proteins on that bug (B. Oleroneus) caused an allergic reaction when mixed with sera (blood serum) from rosacea patients. This wasn’t found in sera from non-rosaceans. Wouldn’t it be something if rosacea were nothing more than an allergic reaction to a bacteria normally found in termites? (B. Oleroneus is not normally found in humans.)

I’d normally argue that because our skin is so compromised, it’s sensitive to everything and a reaction to a bacteria would be no big deal. However, they tested with blood (the sera) and showed a reaction, so that really caught my attention.

So they only cultured out one colony from one mite. To me, this proves it’s a possibility. They could have very easily lost them through their culturing method. They chose to culture at 30 degrees instead of 37. Seems to me these critters would have preferred the warmer temp

Cheers! Artist