Allergy to dust mites

An allergy to a dust mite is the appearance of symptoms of an allergic reaction of the body to the inhalation of these small animals and the products of their vital activity.

A dust mite loves settling in house dust, and to date, about one hundred and fifty species of mites have been isolated. Another name for the dust mite is dermatophagoid. The dimensions of the dust mites are microscopic, from one tenth of a millimeter to one fourth of a millimeter. They can not be seen with the naked eye. Food dust mites is dead cells of humans and pets. Tick-borne allergens are excreted with fecal ticks of mites, which are very small - from ten to forty microns. For one day each tick can produce about twenty balls. If you do a dry cleaning in the house, the dust mites are not able to settle on the surface of the furniture for ten to twenty minutes. But if you inhale them at this moment, they remain on the surface of the mucous membranes of a person.

Read also: Allergy to dust: symptoms, treatment

More people do not react to the presence of a dust mite in the house. But for some individuals, the presence of this animal is a source of severe torment, manifested in the form of allergic reactions. Such people are allergy sufferers and asthmatics, as well as individuals sensitive to these mites. Children and elderly people are especially susceptible to allergic reactions. In the autumn and winter, allergies to dust mite are increased due to the fact that living quarters are rarely ventilated due to cold weather. What helps increase the concentration of dust mites in homes.

Dust mites love heat and moisture, so the favorite places for their "living" are bed linen, pillows, mattresses, carpets, upholstered furniture, soft toys. In a usual mattress, tens of thousands of these animals can be kept, and if you pay attention to the carpet, then in its square meter can live about one hundred thousand ticks. It is estimated that ten percent of the pillow's weight from natural fluff can be ticks and products of their livelihoods. Hard and clean surfaces, which do not have dust, are not a place for "living" ticks.

The best conditions for reproduction and development of ticks are created with air humidity about seventy-five to eighty percent and at a temperature of twenty-four to twenty-five degrees. The lifespan of each tick is about four months, and the faeces this animal produces two hundred times more than it weighs. Eggs of a dust mite lays up to three hundred pieces in a lifetime.

[1], [2], [3]

Causes of an allergy to dust mites

Dust mite settles in those rooms in which there is insufficient ventilation, accompanied by high humidity and high temperature (over twenty degrees). Additional comfortable conditions for the spread of dust mites are contaminated room air, for example, cigarette smoke or automobile exhaust fumes.

Allergic reactions cause the products of the mite's vital activity - its feces. In the excrement of this animal is a substance, which leads to the occurrence of allergic reactions. This occurs at the time of inhalation and ingress of these substances into the respiratory system of a person. Also, allergens can serve as particles of dead mites that accumulate in house dust, and when it circulates in the air they enter the respiratory system of sensitive individuals and cause allergy manifestations.

The causes of allergy to dust mites are, first and foremost, the presence of individual intolerance in humans for individual components of the animal and the products of its life activity. In this case, it should be noted that the dust mite is an absolutely safe creature for man and a constant companion of his life in the house.

[4], [5], [6], [7]

Symptoms of dust mite allergy

Symptoms of dust mite allergy are as follows:

• Appearance of nasal congestion and abundant discharge from it, as well as frequent and repeated sneezing. In this case, these manifestations are accompanied by a strong and constant itching of the nasal mucosa, its swelling. In children, an allergy to a dust mite manifests itself in a strong itch of the tip of the nose.
• The appearance of constant breathing through the mouth due to the fact that the nose is constantly laid. This unnatural kind of breathing causes oxygen starvation of the brain, which leads to a constant and severe headache, causes a general weakness of the body and a decrease in working capacity.
• The appearance of reddening of the eyes and irritation of their mucous membrane, accompanied by severe itching and severe lacrimation; swelling of the eyes.
• Appearance of severe itching in the palate.
• The onset of dry persistent cough.
• Appearance of wheezing in the chest zone.
• The presence of difficulty breathing and weighting of the respiratory processes, which manifest themselves in the form of strong shortness of breath (inability to inhale) and suffocation. At the same time, frequent awakenings during the night are caused by these breathing problems.
• The appearance of skin irritation in the form of redness, peeling, itching and burning of the skin, rashes, hives and children's eczema.
• The appearance of conjunctivitis.
• Appearance of symptoms of bronchial asthma.

A severe allergic reaction to the products of mites can cause Quincke edema in especially sensitive people, which in some cases leads to hypoxia, as well as death.

Diagnosis of dust mite allergy

Diagnosis of allergy to dust mites is carried out using an examination of the immunologist. During the examination, special samples are made, that is, allergen extracts are introduced into the patient's body in special doses, and then the appearance or absence of reaction to them is observed. As a result of the passage of these samples, you can find out whether the allergy was a response to the life of dust mites or not.

The main substances that cause an allergic reaction are the dust mites Der p 1 and Der p 2 proteins. The Der p 1 protein has a weight of 25 kD and belongs to the first group of dust mite allergens. The Der p 2 protein belongs to the second group of dust mite allergens and has a mass of 14 kDa. In this case, this allergen is resistant to heating and changing the acid-base balance of the environment.

There are special preparations for immunological examination in the form of molecular diagnostics, with the help of which it is possible to detect the presence of an allergic reaction to any of these proteins. To date, modern medicine has isolated twenty-three allergens available from household dust mites.

A clear understanding of which allergen triggered the allergic reaction is important for the successful treatment of the patient, as well as the proper procedure for desensitization.

[8], [9]

Treatment of dust mite allergy

Treatment of an allergy to dust mites is to observe the following measures:

1. As soon as possible, eliminate all possible places to "live" ticks, that is, eliminate contact with the allergen.
2. Use to remedy the symptoms of allergy prescribed by the doctor medicines.
3. Take care of the methods of desensitization, that is, reducing the sensitivity of the human body to the products of the life of a dust mite.

Read also: Effective sprays from dust mites

Let us consider in detail each of the above treatment methods:

1. Eliminate contact with the allergen possible with the help of certain methods of prevention, which will be discussed in the appropriate section.
2. Treatment of symptoms of allergy to dust mites occurs with the help of antihistamine, corticosteroid and nasal drugs, which are prescribed by the attending physician during the consultation. At the first symptoms of an allergy it is necessary to address to the expert to the allergist who can direct on inspection to the doctor - to the immunologist for carrying out of samples. With the help of these samples it is possible to confirm or deny the presence of allergic reactions to the dust mite components contained in house dust. Also, these samples improve the quality of treatment, since an allergist can prescribe for therapy exactly those drugs that help to eliminate the symptoms of this type of allergy. In this case, patients need to remember that drugs do not remove the underlying cause of the disease, but only eliminate its manifestations.

As a rule, allergic reactions to such allergens are treated with the following antihistamines:

• Telfast is available in the form of tablets and is given to patients older than six years.
• Erius - the drug is available in two forms: in the form of tablets and syrup; a drug is prescribed to patients from one year.
• Suprastin - is available in the form of tablets and liquid for injection; is prescribed to patients from six years of age.
• Eden - the drug is available in the form of tablets and syrup, which can be used for patients starting from two years.
• Agistam - the drug is produced in the form of tablets and syrup; It is indicated for use by patients from two years of age.
• Lomilan - available in the form of tablets and suspensions; the drug can be administered to patients from two years of age.

Alerone - the drug is produced in the form of tablets and is prescribed to patients from six years of age.

To nasal drugs in the treatment of allergic reactions include the following:

• Aquamaris - comes in the form of a spray and drops for the nose; the drug can be used even for infants due to the safety of its composition.
• Atom Propolis - the drug is produced in the form of a spray for the nose and is indicated for use by patients from one year.

3. Desensitization occurs by introducing an allergen extract into the human body. Drugs are injected into the patient's skin using injections. First it happens in small doses, but then, as far as getting used, the amount of allergen is increased. This leads to the fact that the organism of an allergic gets used to the allergen and ceases to react violently to its entry into the respiratory system. For these purposes, standardized extracts of dust mite particles are used. The procedure for desensitization has another name - ASIT, that is, an allergen-specific immunotherapy and allows you to get rid of allergic reactions to dusty house ticks forever.

Prevention of allergy to dust mites

• First of all, it is often necessary to carry out a wet cleaning of the entire house at least three times a week. Because the dust mite is "afraid" of cleanliness and lack of dust. The main condition is cleaning with water and rags, since the vacuum cleaner is an ineffective means of fighting ticks.
• Concerning the use of a vacuum cleaner, it can be said that this unit allows mites to be sprayed throughout the home. The only exception is vacuum cleaners equipped with special filters against ticks. But this practice is not quite common, as these models are quite expensive. In ordinary vacuum cleaners, the size of the filter cells is always greater than the size of the mites and the products of their vital activity. Therefore, the air that gets into the vacuum cleaner is sprayed throughout the room, and then gets into the lungs and causes allergies. The correct, albeit expensive, measure of dust mite allergy prevention will be the purchase of a special anti-tick filter for the vacuum cleaner.
• Remove excess carpets, carpeting and carpeting from home. In some cases, manifestations of severe allergies, you need to completely eliminate these coverage from the dwelling. A large number of ticks accumulate in natural products, especially wool. In synthetic coatings ticks live, but in much smaller quantities.
• Helps to get rid of ticks in the apartment availability of iron furniture. Because the mites like to be placed on furniture made of wood along with the dust that has settled after the last wet cleaning. On forged furniture dust does not settle in such quantities, which means that the dust mite can not settle there in large numbers. Cabinets for clothing should be airtight, such as wardrobes, and they need to be constantly wiped not only from the outside, but also from the inside.
• Upholstered furniture should be replaced with leather or leatherette, as ticks like to settle in furniture products made of fabric.
• Unfortunately, we will have to part with such decoration of the house as soft toys. They live a large number of ticks that cause allergies. Also, do not use decorative fur cushions and bedspreads for the same reason.
• Frequent washing of bed linen and clothes for night rest at a temperature of at least sixty degrees will help get rid of ticks. Because these animals love the warmth, humidity and the remnants of human skin, with which our bed is rich, frequent changes of bed linen, pajamas and nightgowns will help get rid of them.
• On sale there is a special bed linen for allergy sufferers - they can not settle in a dust mite.
• Instead of the usual mattress covers in bed, you need to use hypoallergenic. Dust mite has nowhere to "catch" in anti-allergenic mattress covers, therefore, they prevent the occurrence of allergies.
• Residential premises must be ventilated at least once a day.
• It is necessary to reduce the temperature in the rooms to twenty-two degrees and at the same time lower the humidity in the room.
• Special air cleaners have been created, which can clean the air of premises from dust mites along with their excrement and dust particles. They must be used constantly in living quarters in accordance with the instructions.
• There are also special means for fighting dust mites. They are added to the water when washing clothes, and they also process furniture and other surfaces.

Prognosis of allergy to dust mites

The prediction of dust mite allergy in the case of drug therapy in the form of antihistamines, nasal drugs and corticosteroid medications is not positive, as these drugs only relieve the symptoms of the disease. The patient for a while gets rid of the manifestations of allergies, but soon he is forced again to see a doctor for a new course of therapy.

In the absence of treatment, allergies to dust mites will disturb patients constantly, especially in the autumn-winter period. In this case, not only the symptoms of an allergic disease will be observed, but the general deterioration of the patient's condition, which will affect his working capacity, quality of life and emotional and psychological mood.

A positive result in the treatment of dust mite allergy is the desensitization procedure or an allergen-specific immunotherapy. The use of this method allows you to get rid of allergic reactions in a hundred percent of cases. At the same time, the result is guaranteed throughout the life of the former patient, since relapses in the manifestation of the disease are completely absent.