Some insects can cause an allergic reaction. One of them is dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or farinae. This is a dust mite. This is one of the most common parasites on the planet. Allergies are the result of substances that parasites secrete. The microorganism lives in a human home. The creature is also capable of triggering asthma. Ticks lead to the development of many other diseases. The insect feeds on dead particles of the skin. For a long time, a person cannot determine the cause of an allergic reaction. Examinations are required.
Dust mites live in every home
Who is dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and what is the history of discovery
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is one of the subspecies of dust mites. Being around such a parasite can be dangerous. The insect increases the likelihood of developing diseases, including those of the respiratory system.
Dust mites were discovered in the 60s of the last century. This was done by scientists from Holland and Japan. Experts have tested how parasites affect patients.
Scientists have found that patients with a tendency to allergies have a reaction to mites. After this, a large-scale study of parasites was begun in order to be able to get rid of microorganisms.
Medical names
Nowadays, scientists have discovered and described at least 11 allergens of pyroglyphid mites. They are designated by the names Der1-Der10, Der14. These are mainly digestive enzymes.
For example, the mite allergen Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus often causes a hypersensitivity reaction in humans. Simply put, this is an allergy to house dust. In response to the presence of mites, a person may also experience rhinorrhea, shortness of breath, Quincke's edema, and allergic rhinitis. Symptoms in adults and children will be similar.
What are the general characteristics
This mite is the most common parasite. It is found everywhere and is not picky about external conditions. The pest is an insect that grows up to 0.5 mm in length. Each individual lives up to 3 months. During this time, the female lays up to 70 eggs.
Mites live in dust
In total, there are 100 subspecies of parasites. Representatives live in large groups. Insects do not exist alone. There can be 20-1000 individuals per 1 gram of dust. The numbers may vary, especially if good breeding conditions are present.
The greatest number of pests is recorded in autumn and late summer. The presence of a parasite in the house leads to an exacerbation of asthma.
Comfortable temperature for parasites is 18-26 degrees. Parasites leave behind the products of their vital activity. It is also an allergen. Ticks live in: pillows; mattresses; upholstered furniture; carpets; soft toys.
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Parasites occupy everything where particles of human skin can be found. Humidity for parasites to reproduce must be 60%. Children and people with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to allergic reactions.
Ticks do not penetrate the skin and do not parasitize humans. If you look closely, you can see the pest, but it's not that easy. The insect has a translucent body. Over the course of its life, the creature produces about 2,000 fecal particles.
Mites can cause allergies, especially in children
Description of dust mite
It is very difficult to see what a dust mite looks like without special equipment. The size of arthropods reaches 0.1 – 0.5 mm. Under a microscope, you can see that the parasite has a slightly elongated body, 8 legs, and no wings.
The life cycle of a dust mite is 65 to 80 days. Parasites live in large colonies; 1 g of dust can contain from several hundred to several thousand mites. Optimal conditions for the development of dermatophages: air temperature +18… +25⁰С, humidity 70 – 80%. Parasites feed on dead skin particles and dandruff.
What are the reasons for the appearance
It is believed that the parasites originally appeared in the nests of migratory birds. Over time, the parasite spread to chickens and geese. It is for this reason that ticks often enter a human home along with feather pillows.
The insect enters human housing along with clothing and furniture, as well as bedding. A person can bring parasites on himself after visiting hotels, kindergartens, beauty salons and various public places.
The causes of parasites also include:
- keeping pets;
- irregular ventilation of clothes;
- lack of personal hygiene.
The appearance of the parasite often goes unnoticed.
How do you know if there are dust mites in your apartment?
It is impossible to visually detect dust mites in a house or apartment. You can only see a parasite on a sofa or blanket with the help of a powerful magnifying glass, and only if you know where to look. But the immune system helps a person determine the presence of parasites. Allergy symptoms that occur in response to the presence of dust mites indoors:
- constant nasal congestion;
- frequent sneezing, coughing in the absence of a cold;
- dyspnea;
- loss of appetite;
- red rashes on the skin;
- itching;
- swollen eyelids, inflamed eyes.
Signs of parasites
The most accurate method is the use of special patch tests to determine the concentration of parasites. The kit includes a dust collector, test strips, chemical reagents and a scale for calculating the degree of contamination. It is prohibited to use such tests on people or pets living in an apartment.
Where do dust mites live?
Dust mites spread throughout the room, but there are still places where they accumulate the most. These include:
- cushioned furniture;
- bedding (mattresses, pillows, blankets);
- carpets;
- Stuffed Toys;
- cloth;
- soft house shoes;
- corners and crevices where dust accumulates (including crevices in the floor under carpeting, under baseboards);
- books and bookshelves;
- pet beds.
In addition, dust mites live in the dust bags of vacuum cleaners.
Do pillows harbor dust mites?
There is a theory that dust mites originally appeared in bird nests. Over time, they settled among poultry - chickens and geese, and then, with their feathers stuffed into feather beds and pillows, they entered human homes.
Over time, a large number of keratinized skin particles accumulate in pillows, so mites settle there in huge colonies. Ticks, especially often found in the house, live in pillows filled with natural down or feathers.
What are the symptoms of an allergy to parasites?
Most often, dermatophagoides pteronyssinus or farinae leads to allergies. This is the most common complication. It can occur in different forms of severity, each of which is described in the table.
| Lightweight | There are minor rashes on the skin. Itching appears periodically. Worried about weakness and loss. Symptoms are often present at the site of contact with the allergen. Other parts of the body are not affected. Signs may become more intense after just a few minutes. Ignoring the current state is strictly prohibited. |
| Average | The itching becomes widespread and affects all parts of the body. Breathing is impaired. |
| Heavy | Symptoms of severe form include: • widespread itching throughout the body; • spontaneous and severe swelling of the body; • painful sensation in the abdomen; • colic in the abdomen; • gagging; • bowel dysfunction; • dizziness; • loss of consciousness. |
One form of gravity can instantly be replaced by another. Treatment and consultation with a doctor should be immediate.
If you have any alarming symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor immediately
What are the varieties?
There are 3 categories of dust mites. The first group lives, feeds and breeds in the dust. Insects feed on skin scales, as well as microflora particles. Some of the individuals consume mold and human products. It is these representatives that often cause allergic reactions in agricultural workers.
The number of such ticks began to increase rapidly since the 90s of the last century. This is due to the storage of products in unsuitable premises.
The second category of insects is predators. The basis of nutrition is parasites of the first group.
There is also a 3rd category of mites that fall into dust randomly. Reproduction is impossible. They do not cause an allergic reaction, and they do not settle in bed linen. They pose no danger.
What is the danger to humans?
Ticks pose a serious danger to humans. The insect produces large amounts of protein and other substances that are allergens. Upon contact with the waste products of the parasite, there is a possibility of developing:
- allergic rhinitis;
- atopic dermatitis;
- bronchial asthma.
In rare cases, angioedema may occur. After contact with the parasite, the human body begins to produce antibodies. Additionally, conjunctivitis occurs. There is lacrimation and fear of light.
Ticks can cause asthma
In the morning and evening, symptoms similar to bronchial asthma appear. The patient is bothered by a severe cough and difficulty breathing.
General description and distribution path
The size of these mites is from 0.1 to 0.4 mm; in their development they go through several phases (larva, nymph), and are sexual, that is, they are male or female.
The tick's body produces substances that are allergens for humans. These particles enter the external environment along with feces and accumulate in house dust. The sizes of the balls in which allergens are stored range from 10 to 40 microns, weight is 10-20 ng. Fecal pellets easily become airborne during, for example, cleaning, and then settle on a person’s mucous membranes, thus penetrating the body.
How to fight
First of all, it is recommended to regularly wet clean the house. The struggle will bring a positive result if:
- furniture made of fabric will be replaced with analogues made of leatherette;
- All carpeting will be removed from the house;
- things are regularly washed and dried outside;
- the indoor microclimate will be normalized;
- All shoes are cleaned regularly;
- Feather pillows are periodically replaced;
- all soft toys will be removed from the house;
- a vacuum cleaner with a water filter is used.
Be sure to ventilate the room.
How dust allergies occur due to mites, see this video:
Where do they live?
The described dust mites are distributed throughout the planet. They are located by scientists in all corners of the globe. And in all countries there are people who have a hypersensitivity reaction to mite allergens. Doctors call such people sensitized.
According to one hypothesis, pyroglyphid mites appeared in people's homes from bird nests. At first they populated the nests of birds, and then, together with the feather, they found their way into human homes. It's no wonder that mites are found in pillows these days.
People themselves contribute to the spread of ticks. They bring them on shoes and clothes, with used furniture, soft toys.
Ticks are found not only in homes, but also in childcare centers, hotels, hairdressers, laundries, sanatoriums, on buses (in soft seats), trains (in mattresses).
What kind of prevention
For prevention it is recommended:
- throw away all old and unnecessary things;
- wash the floor frequently;
- take out everything that collects dust;
- ventilate the room;
- replace all feather sleep products with those consisting of synthetic materials;
- monitor the humidity level;
- bathe pets periodically.
Parasites can appear in any home. For this reason, it is important to adhere to prevention to reduce the likelihood of ticks.
Do dust mites bite?
Mites living in house dust, contrary to a fairly strong belief, do not bite:
- Firstly, the mouthparts of arthropods are not designed to bite through human skin.
- Secondly, they do not feed on blood and do not parasitize under the skin.
Those who claim to have seen dust mite bites on their bodies are actually talking about redness that appears in places where the skin has been exposed to digestive enzymes contained in the parasites' feces and causing the destruction of epidermal cells.
