Definition
Mites belong to the arachnids and possess a great variety of species. Most mites are found in the ground. However, many mites can also nest in humans.
For example, they are found in our hair roots. The most well-known mite for us humans is the house dust mite. About ten percent of people in Germany suffer from house dust mite allergies.
The mites are mainly found in bed. The mites secrete proteins in their faeces, which can lead to symptoms in humans. The individual parts of the faeces then attach themselves to the house dust, which is inhaled and can cause allergic reactions.
Only people with a house dust mite allergy are affected by these symptoms. Non-allergic persons do not notice anything about the coexistence of mites in their bed. Unlike bugs or fleas, house dust mites do not bite. Although house dust mites play the biggest role in the topic “mites in bed”, the dross-inducing grave mites can also occur in bed or upholstery. These are mainly found in places where many people live together, for example in nursing homes.
Mite allergy
House dust mites can lead to an allergic reaction in humans, which is known as a house dust allergy or often also as a mite allergy. Symptoms such as itching and reddened eyes, a blocked and runny nose, morning sneezing attacks or even asthma attacks are typical. People react allergic to the excrement of the house dust mite in particular.
Various enzymes contained in the mite’s faeces lead to sensitization in humans and result in a symptomatic allergy in some people. The responsible mites belong to the species Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae. The allergen exposure exists throughout the year, so that symptoms can occur all year round.
They are, however, especially in winter, present in greater numbers. In winter, rooms are heated. This reduces the humidity and the mites die off.
The death of the mites releases excrement and remains containing the allergenic proteins, which increases the symptoms. To diagnose a house dust allergy, special allergy tests can be used in addition to the patient interview and physical examination. These include above all the prick test and blood tests for antibodies.
The therapy of a house dust allergy includes both hygiene measures in the home and medical treatment. The hygiene measures eliminate the mite allergens as far as possible. The medical treatment, on the other hand, aims at different things. Within the scope of a hyposensitization, which takes about 3 years, one tries to weaken the different immune reactions to the house dust mites. To alleviate the acute symptoms, preparations with glucocorticoids or antihistamines are prescribed.
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