The authors report, for the first time in Italy, a case of dermatitis of "h
ypopodes" origin in a horse. The hypopodes are a particular nymphal stage o
f mites of the suborder Astigmata. The "hypopus" is non-feeding, lacks a mo
uth and has a ventral suctorial plate with suckers and conoids for attachin
g itself to insects as a mode of dispersal. Some of these larval stages can
enter into the hair follicles and into the subcutaneous layers causing les
ions similar to mange. There are few reports of dermatitis in horses specif
ically associated with the presence of hypopodes and these have been attrib
uted to an allergic response to I:he body fluid of crushed hypopial stage.
It may be that infestations of these nymphal stages are widespread, but the
nature of the condition is not yet clear; therefore, they may be underdiag
nosed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.