Grocer's itch is a cutaneous condition characterized by a
pruritic
Itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch. Itch has resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itch has many similarities to pain, and while both are unpleasan ...
dermatitis
Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can ...
that occurs from coming into contact with
mite
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear e ...
s such as ''Carpoglyphus passularum'' (a fruit mite) or ''
Glycyphagus
''Glycyphagus'' is a genus of astigs in the family Glycyphagidae. There are about five described species in ''Glycyphagus''.
Species
These five species belong to the genus ''Glycyphagus'':
* '' Glycyphagus destructor'' (Schrank, 1781)
* '' Glyc ...
domesticus'' (a common house mite). Contact usually occurs when handling food with mites in it, such as
fig
The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...
s,
date
Date or dates may refer to:
*Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'')
Social activity
*Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner
** Group dating
*Play date, a ...
s,
prune
A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica''). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of '' Prunus domestica'' varieties that have a high so ...
s, grain, cheese, or other dried foods.
[grocer's itch, in Mosby’s Medical, Nursing &Allied Health Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Mosby-YearBook, Inc., 1994, p. 695]
See also
*
Grain itch
*
Gamasoidosis
Gamasoidosis, or dermanyssosis, is a frequently unrecognized ectoparasitosis and source of growing concern in human medicine, occurring after contact with avian mites which infest canaries, sparrows, starlings, pigeons and poultry and caused ...
*
List of mites associated with cutaneous reactions
Many mites can bite human skin and cause cutaneous reaction and/or disease. Mites which cannot bite humans may also transmit disease or cause allergies.
See also
* List of conditions associated with café au lait macules
*List of contact all ...
References
Parasitic infestations, stings, and bites of the skin
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