Dust mites are small parasitic organisms that can only live in close proximity to humans. It is impossible to see parasites with the naked eye; they can only be detected at 30-40x magnification, because their size is small, only about 250-300 microns in length.
This species of arachnid was first discovered in 1964 by A.V. Leeuwenhoek, who invented the microscope. The optimal habitat for this species is dust, and dust that accumulates in warm places with high humidity. Many scientists agree that dust mites initially appeared in the nests of migratory birds, and later it became possible to find them in the immediate vicinity of poultry. It was with the down and feathers of poultry, which were used to stuff blankets, pillows and feather beds, that this parasite ended up in a person’s house. It is not easy to get rid of parasites - along with bedding and clothing, they easily “follow” a person from one home to another.
It is a mistake to think that dust mites are completely harmless. These parasites can cause significant harm to human health. You can find them in sofas, bedding and linen. They feed on dead human skin cells.
The danger of dust mites to humans
As such, fawn ticks do not cause concern to the inhabitants of the house. Firstly, they are not visible, and secondly, they are not carriers of infection and do not bite humans, unlike mosquitoes.Nevertheless, this seemingly harmless organism is one of the most active distributors of allergens.
Most often they can be found in a person's bed. The reasons are as follows:
- During a person's sleep, the process of contact of the naked human body with bed linen occurs;
- Due to the fact that people sweat during sleep, it is in bed that conditions of high humidity are created, which is a favorable condition for the existence of this parasite;
- It's quite warm in bed at night, with an average temperature of about +25°.
It is no longer a secret that people spend 1/3 of their lives sleeping, and if your bed has become a cozy home for dust mites, then while you sleep you are constantly in close contact with parasites. Within six months, dust mites can completely fill a mattress, and their number will exceed one million individuals.
It is worth noting that the lifespan of a dust mite is quite long - four weeks. Mature individuals lay eggs for a third of their lives, the number of which in one clutch is about twenty-five.
The main danger to humans is not so much the ticks themselves, but their secretions and excrement. During their life, they can excrete an amount of excrement that will be two hundred times the weight of the parasite itself. In addition, particles of deceased individuals also become the causative agent of allergies.
They are the strongest allergen and if a child or an adult has a weakened immune system, this can cause the development of diseases such as inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, asthma or eczema.
Symptoms of allergies caused by dust mites
Dust mites, or rather their secretions, cause the following types of allergies:
- rhinoconjunctevitis;
- Quincke's edema and bronchial asthma, if cases of the disease are very advanced;
- acarodermatitis
- rhinitis and conjunctevitis, which are allergic in nature.
Particles of dead ticks contain chitin, and feces contain special enzymes that, when released into the air, begin to irritate the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. In case of contact with the skin, allergic reactions begin to appear on its part, and if it enters the gastrointestinal tract, problems with the digestive system occur.
The most common consequences of dust mite allergies are a runny nose, which is allergic in nature, and bronchial asthma.
Self-diagnosing a dust mite allergy can be difficult. In any case, you will need to consult an experienced specialist and undergo tests, in particular provocative skin tests for the presence of tick-borne sensitization, a detailed blood immunogram, as well as microbiological studies.
After establishing the presence of an allergy, drug treatment is prescribed. After establishing the presence of an allergy, it is necessary to take measures aimed at preventing the occurrence of this problem in the future. And you can avoid relapses only by completely getting rid of dust mites in your home.
Getting rid of dust mites
In order to get rid of dust mites in your home, the following measures are taken:
- In order to completely treat the apartment, you should invite specialists who provide services in the field of deratization and disinfestation of premises.
- Carry out wet cleaning of the apartment using a saline solution.
- If an allergy occurs in a child, then it is necessary to remove all soft toys without exception from the room where the baby sleeps.
- Remove carpets, rugs and runners from living areas
- Use bedding made of synthetic materials for sleeping.
- Replace all upholstered furniture upholstered in fabric with furniture upholstered in leather or leather substitutes.
- Hot wash pillows, blankets and sailors and then air dry them
- For at least thirty days, from the date of taking drastic measures to get rid of parasites, maintain a dry microclimate in your home.
Do not forget that the cause of dust mites in any room lies on the surface. In fact, if the living space is always kept clean, wet cleaning is carried out, bed linen is changed and pillows, blankets, and sailors with fillings made from down and poultry feathers are cleaned, then the occurrence of this parasite in the living space is minimized.
Preventive measures
In order to prevent the appearance of harmful organisms, it is necessary to constantly carry out the following measures:
- Treat mattresses, pillows and blankets with special chemicals (acaricides);
- In frosty weather, take bedding outside every day and keep it in the open air for at least one hour;
- It is necessary to wash bed linen in water whose temperature is not lower than +50°C
- Make efforts to ensure that there is as much sunlight as possible in the apartment, and especially in the bedroom. Ultraviolet light is harmful to parasites
- If possible, clean using vacuum cleaners with an aqua filter. Bagged vacuum cleaners should be avoided.
- Equip your home with air conditioners and air purifiers that will capture the smallest dust particles.
In conclusion, it should be said that the appearance of such dangerous “roommates” in an apartment as dust mites is much easier to prevent than to then take drastic measures to get rid of them.
Therefore, it is worth introducing into a good habit the preventive measures listed in this article against the appearance of parasites, so that in the future you will not have to seek help from doctors and restore the damaged health of both adult family members and children.
