What are house dust mites?
These are minute, insect-like organisms that cannot be seen by the naked eye. They live in house dust and thrive on eating human skin scales. They like warm, dark, humid conditions and multiply rapidly - the female mites can lay up to 50 eggs every 3 weeks.
Where are house dust mites mainly found?
bedrooms: pillows, blankets and mattresses, carpets, soft furnishings, soft toys like teddy bears.
What problems do they cause?
Allergy to the mite (dead or alive) and to its waste products (such as protein in faeces) is a problem for some people. The allergic symptoms include hay fever like symptoms (sneezing, itchy nose and eyes), asthma and eczema.
What should be done for these allergic patients?
It is best to prove allergy to house dust mite through skin testing. Sometimes we know about it through contact - for e.g. having a reaction to sleeping on a dusty old mattress in another place. The best way to reduce allergic symptoms is to reduce your exposure to the mites and follow the steps of management.
Preventive Steps:
General tips
> Direct sunlight kills the mites, so let lots of sunlight into the house.
> Keep the house well ventilated and as free of dampness as possible.
> Keep pets out of the house.
Bedding
It is best to cover mattresses, pillows and quilts with a premium-grade dust mite covers (your local pharmacist or the asthma foundation can advise you). Avoid feather doonas and pillows.
Use bed linen, blankets and doonas that can be washed regularly. Wash them in hot water at 55 deg. C or more. Electric blankets are considered to be okay.
Carpets
It is best to have no carpet, especially in the bedroom. Polished boards, linoleum, slate or tiles are preferred. For very sensitive patients, it is advisable to remove any existing carpets. If carpet is necessary, keep it as clean as possible. Vacuuming stirs up the dust so the patient should avoid this task or wear a special protective mask. Movable floor coverings should be shaken and cleaned outside the house.
Soft Furnishings
Keep soft furnishings to a bare minimum in the bedroom. Avoid heavy curtains and wash the curtains regularly. Window blinds such as vertical blinds are preferable.
Soft toys
Avoid soft toys in the sleeping area. If you can't, have only a few and wash them regularly. Putting them in the deep freeze overnight (in a freezer bag) once a fortnight will kill the mites.
Living Area
Avoid upholstered furniture if possible. It is preferable to use wipeable furniture such as leather, vinyl, wood.
Other tips
When dusting, use damp dusting rather than feather dusting. Avoid dust collectors such as wall hangings and beanbags. Any stored clothing, especially jumpers and coats, should be aired in the sun before using. Special insecticides (acaricides) are often used to destroy mites in carpets but they are expensive, of doubtful value and, on balance, not recommended.
Best tips:
* Use top-grade dust mite covers for bedding
* Wash bed linen in hot water at or above 55 deg C
* Avoid carpet and soft furnishings (if allergy is severe)
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