STUDY OF ITCH MITES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21979, 25 March 1946, Page 4

STUDY OF ITCH MITES

SCRUB TYPHUS RESEARCH DISEASE KILLED TROOPS SYDNEY. March 12. In his musty library stocked with old books and discarded exhibits, Mr. H. Womersley, entomologist at Adelaide’s museum lias completed a study of 100,000 itcii mites. For four years he has been staring at specimens through his microscope and is now to begin his report.

Mr. Womersley was given the task of discovering whether any mites, other than those already found to be

carriers, could transmit to man tropical scrub typhus, a disease that attacked Allied troops in New Guinea, Malaya and Burma. Scrub typhus killed many, caused others to lose their hands and feet or become deaf, dumb or blind. In parts of New Guinea it rivalled malaria as a dissipater of soldiers’ services (the Americans estimated their losses at 200,000 mandays); in Malaya and Burma losses were heavy. It was known to the Japanese as akamushi. Thanks to the research of Mr. Womerslev, Adelaide’s museum has the largest and most varied collection ol‘ mites in the world. Before lie began his work only 30 different types had beep identified. In the report which he is now to write 101 will be listed. Mr. Womersley said: “Two species of the itch mite are associated with scrub typhus. One of these types exists in Australia, principally in Queensland. But scrub typhus was unknown in Australia'before the war and there is still little danger from it. The main effect of the mites’ activity in Australia is to cause itches and fevers, including Mossman and Q fevers. None of these is as serious as scrub typhus, but the fevers can be dangerous. Chief symptoms are a rash and slight fever. Scrub itch is common in some parts of Australia, including some Sydney districts.”