Sunday, April 5, 2009

Answer to Case 64

This was a difficult case since the objects in the movie were not very clear. However, the clues to the diagnosis were the patients history (itchy rash shared with his dog) and the short stumpy legs seen intermittently on the video, characteristic of the “itch mite”, Sarcoptes scabiei.

Notice the short stumpy legs (arrows) and rounded body:

One commenter suggested that this was the human body louse; however, this arthropod would also not expect to infect other mammals such as the dog, and has a much more elongated body shape. Thanks to everyone who wrote in on this case!

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