• A Decade After The Year of the Mite

    This year marks a decade since my Year of the Mite. Although it certainly did not seem like it in 2009, I was one of the lucky ones: My infestation with Dermanyssus gallinae only lasted a year. Only a year of being bitten by things I could not see, up…
  • The Best Revenge: Kill the Mites, Save the People

    The goal in the fight against parasitic mites is to outlast them. This means get rid of mites without harming ourselves. I hear from people all the time who have symptoms of parasitic mites. Miserable people, sleepless people, who are suffering without sympathy because the professionals they consult are uninformed…
  • The Shifting Ethics of Mite Fighting

    People with parasitic mites all need help in some form or other, and it is difficult to get help without putting others at risk. You escape to a hotel for a night: how do you know your sheets will be thoroughly washed? You throw something out: how do you know…
  • Do Yourself a Favor: Search “Parasitic Mites PCR.”

    As a matter of principle, I don't accept ads on this site or suggest specific products. But in a continuing effort to move parasitic mite diagnosis from the stone age into the 21st century, I am going to suggest you search "Parasitic Mites PCR" and read up on the growing…
  • New Study Finds Huge Biodiversity of Arthropods in US Homes

    And just think what they would find, dear reader, if they ventured into YOUR house! If you have an active mite infestation, consider contacting these researchers and volunteering for their next study. I'm only half joking. Check it out: https://news.ncsu.edu/2016/01/bertone-home-arthropod-2016/
  • Progress Happens.

    A small press run by science nerds recently published my book, The Year of the Mite, which is based on my family’s zoonotic infestation by the poultry mite Dermanyssus gallinae.  These are nocturnal parasites about the size of the point of a pin that tend to pick out one favorite in a flock…
  • False Diagnosis of Delusional Parasitosis

    Below is a link to an article comparing false negative rates using various methods of testing for mites. I believe the PCR method was first used in studies of Demodex and showed much higher rates than with old methods. The interesting thing is, if you read articles in the psychotherapy…