# SCABIES:  BIOLOGY, CULTURE HOST SPECIFICITY AND ANTIGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $113,029

## Abstract

Common human scabies, caused by the mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, is an
important, wide-spread, highly contagious skin disease of man.  Continued
high incidence and epidemics occur despite the presence of various
therapies.  There are various speculative views expressed to explain the
continued high incidence of scabies but few are based on modern
substantiated, thorough research of the basic biology of the mite and
general host-parasite interaction.  The long term objectives of this
research are to investigate the basic biology and host-parasite
interactions of this parasite in order to elucidate important factors that
influence the infestation, transmission and epidemiology of both human and
animal scabies.  Results of this reserch will lead to a better
understanding of factors that promote or retard the disease, better
management of the disease, and subsequently reduced levels and/or
eradication of the disease.

The specific aims of the research are fourfold.  First, it is a detailed
analysis of the basic biology of the mite (e.g. life history, survival and
infestivity, and host seeking and exploitatin behavior).  This aim will be
accomplished by direct observation of mites on the host, determinations of
survival and retained infestability experiments of mites dislodged from the
host, and observations of mite behavioral respones to various host stimuli.

Secondly, the questions of host specificity and strain differences will be
investigated.  Physiological, morphological, behavioral and immunological
differences will be identified by cross host transmission, electron
microscopy, cross strain mating and cross antigenicity studies.

Thirdly, efforts will be made to develop further an in vitro culture method
for scabies mites.  These experiments will involve refinement of climatic,
physical and nutritional parameters of culture media and substrate
conditions by trial and error and substitution experiments.

Fourthly, the reserch will charcterize the antigenicity of S. scabiei var
canis, the cross antigenicity between scabies mites and house dust mites
and specific aspects of the host immune response in scabies infested
rabbits and patients by crossed immunoelectrophoresis and crossed
radioimmunoelectrophoresis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3127062
- **Project number:** 5R01AI017252-06
- **Recipient organization:** WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NPT2UNTNHJZ1
- **Principal Investigator:** LARRY G ARLIAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $113,029
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1981-08-01 → 1988-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3127062

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3127062, SCABIES:  BIOLOGY, CULTURE HOST SPECIFICITY AND ANTIGENS (5R01AI017252-06). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3127062. Licensed CC0.

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