Transmission of Demodex flagellurus (Acari: Demodicidae) in the house mouse, Mus musculus, under laboratory conditions.

Transmission of Demodex flagellurus Bukva, 1985 inhabiting the preputial and clitoral glands of the house mouse, Mus musculus L., was studied in mating experiments using pairs of infested, feral X mite-free, white laboratory mice. Spontaneous transfer of mites between sexually active hosts of the opposite sex, presumably through copulation, is reported for the first time for the hair-follicle mites under controlled conditions. Transfer of mites from host mother to her progeny was also proven. A comparatively low transmission effectiveness was observed in both modes of transmission, being 9.5% in adult-to-adult transmission and 14.8% in mother-to-young transmission.