House dust mite

Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Dust mite faecal pellets that can be small as 10 μm,<ref name="House dust mite faecal" /> but can be contained by anti-mite fabrics of a denser pore size.<ref name="HouseDustMite.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

House dust mites (or simply dust mites) are various species of acariform mites belonging to the family Pyroglyphidae that are found in association with dust in dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web Originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 314.</ref> They are known for causing allergies.

Biology

Species

The currently known species are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Blomia tropicalis
• Dermatophagoides farinae (American house dust mite)
• Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (European house dust mite)
• Dermatophagoides evansi
• Dermatophagoides microceras
• Dermatophagoides halterophilus
• Dermatophagoides siboney
• Dermatophagoides neotropicalis
• Dermatophagoides alexfaini
• Dermatophagoides anisopoda
• Dermatophagoides chirovi
• Dermatophagoides deanei
• Dermatophagoides rwandae
• Dermatophagoides scheremeteroskyi
• Dermatophagoides scheremetewskyi
• Dermatophagoides simplex
• Euroglyphus maynei (Mayne's house dust mite)
• Euroglyphus longior
• Hirstia domicola
• Malayoglyphus carmelitus
• Malayoglyphus intermedius
• Pyroglyphus africanus
• Sturnophagoides brasiliensis
• Suidasia pontifica

Taxonomy

The dust mites are cosmopolitan members of the mite family Pyroglyphidae.

Characteristics

A scanning electron micrograph of a female dust mite

House dust mites, due to their very small size and translucent bodies, are barely visible to the unaided eye.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A typical house dust mite measures 0.2–0.3 mm in length.<ref>Template:Cite web. Note that the video is gone.</ref> The body of the house dust mite has a striated cuticle.Template:Cn

House dust mite faecal pellets range from 10 to 40 μm.<ref name="House dust mite faecal">Template:Cite web</ref>

Diet

Dust mites feed on skin flakes from humans and other animals, and on some mold. Dermatophagoides farinae fungal food choices in 16 tested species commonly found in homes was observed in vitro to be Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Wallemia sebi, and they disliked Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus versicolor, and Stachybotrys chartarum.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Predators

The predators of dust mites are other allergenic mites (Cheyletiella), silverfish, and pseudoscorpions.<ref name="acari">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reproduction

The average life cycle for a house dust mite is 65–100 days.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> A mated female house dust mite can live up to 70 days, laying 60 to 100 eggs in the last five weeks of her life. In a 10-week life span, a house dust mite will produce approximately 2,000 fecal particles and an even larger number of partially digested enzyme-covered dust particles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Distribution

Dust mites are found worldwide, but are more common in humid regions.<ref>Template:Cite journal

• Template:Cite magazine</ref> The species Blomia tropicalis is typically found only in tropical or subtropical regions.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Detectable dust mite allergen was found in the beds of about 84% of surveyed United States homes.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> In Europe, detectable Der p 1 or Der f 1 allergen was found in 68% of surveyed homes.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Health issues

Asthma

House dust mite antigens are strongly associated with asthma development and severity; they are estimated to contribute to 60–90% of cases.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Allergies

Tropomyosin, the major allergen in dust mites, is also responsible for shellfish allergy.<ref name="Lopata2016">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Prester2016">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Oral mite anaphylaxis

Dermatophagoides spp. can cause oral mite anaphylaxis (AKA pancake syndrome) when found in flour.<ref name=Barrera>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

See also

• Template:Portal-inline

External links

• Dust Mite Allergy on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website