HOUSE DUST MITES: A RISK FACTOR TO BE CONSIDERED FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY OR SOURCE OF WORK-RELATED ALLERGENS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Military Institute of Health and Epidemiology.+

2 The Military Medical Academy, Egypt.

3 Medical Surgical Nursing, The Military Medical Academy, Egypt.

4 Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt,

Abstract

House dust mites (HDM) can be found worldwide where human beings live independent from the climate and are a major source of multiple allergens. Mite allergens sensitize and induce perennial rhinitis, asthma, or atopic dermatitis in a
large portion of patients with allergic disease particularly children. There is convincing evidence that avoidance of mite allergen can effectively reduce allergic symptoms. This study examined dust from a military hospital and the private home of some nursing staff. A total of seven species of mites belonging to six genera were recovered. The commonest species was Dermatophagoides farinae followed by D. pteronyssinus and the lowest Laelaps nuttalli. Besides, the 7th mite or Parasitus consanguineous live free on dust as a bio-control agent of mites. The presence of mites in and out doors in a hospital and dwellings of medical personnel pave the way to consider HDM as occupational or nosocomial Allergens.

Keywords

Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology
Volume 43, Issue 3
December 2013
Pages 669-678

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics