In animal facilities, which arachnid parasite is most commonly encountered?

• A. Ticks
• B. Spiders
• C. Mites
• D. Fleas

Answer: (C)

Mites are the most commonly encountered arachnid parasites in animal facilities because they’re tiny, often invisible, and capable of living on and off hosts in the animals’ cages, bedding, water bottles, and other shared equipment. Their life cycle—eggs, larvae, nymphs, adults—allows rapid reproduction and easy transmission through routine housing and handling. This makes infestations relatively common across many species and types of housing, so monitoring and sanitation protocols routinely address mites and their control.

Ticks and fleas rely more on external environments or direct contact with an infested host and are less likely to persist as a constant indoor contamination in a well-managed facility. Spiders are not parasites of lab animals in this context; they’re typically incidental visitors rather than regular arachnid parasites of housed animals.