Abstract

Inhalation of dust contaminated by mites (acari) can cause asthma and rhinitis in hypersensitive subjects. The most common and abundant European species in house-dust, particularly in bedding dust, is Dermato-phagoides pteronyssinus, the house-dust mite. The allergens are present in live and dead mites and their debris,^{1 2} but as we noted recently³ it is uncertain whether specific hyposensitisation with the available preparations helps. The management of house-dust allergy should therefore include an attempt to reduce the risk of inhalation of mite-contaminated dust.