Foogle Business - Asthma Allergies - Dust Mite - Dustmites - Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus

Dust Mites & Asthma

ASTHMA

Whilst we try to report all the facts as accurately as possible, we will not be made responsible for any mistakes or errors that maybe inadvertently made.

Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties. It can be acute, chronic or just occasional.

It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also develop for the first time in adults. It can go in SEVEN YEAR cycles. There are physical causes, innate causes but also psychological factors.

There is currently no cure, but there are simple treatments that can help keep the symptoms under control so it does not have a big impact on your life.

Inhalers that are preventative, and inhalers that are relievers will help.

Asthma must be managed to improve your standard of life.

DUST MITES can be a major cause of Asthma.

MITES - Any of about 20,000 species of tiny arthropod invertebrates belonging to the subclass Acari - sometimes Acarina, or Acarida, of the class Arachnida.

Mites live in varied habitats: in brackish water, in fresh water, in hot springs, in soil, on plants, and as parasites on and in animals. Parasitic forms may live in the nasal passages, lungs, stomach, or deeper body tissues of animals. Some mites are carriers of human and animal diseases. Plant-feeding mites cause damage by feeding on leaf tissues or by transmitting viral diseases.

Mites are small, often microscopic in size—the smallest being about 0.1 mm (0.004 inch) in length and the largest being about 6 mm (0.25 inch)—and they usually have four pairs of legs. In general, they breathe by means of tracheae, or air tubes; in many species, however, respiration takes place through the skin.

House-dust allergy is caused by species of Dermatophagoides, a common arthropod.

Dust Mites are especially abundant in mattresses, carpets, pillows, winter clothing and sometimes on household pets, like Dogs. One double-bed may have as many as 500 million mites and there are 47 known species of dustmites that cause problems. Just like Fleas, dust-mites have evolved and developed to accommodate individual animals who are their " host ". There are 11 species of mites that have been found on mattresses and in bedding, others prefer human skin scales and others gravitate towards dogs, cats and birds.

Asthma sufferers are one particular group who can go through quite a lot of discomfort because allergies caused by the dust-mite.

Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus

The Dust Mite

The great people of the United Kingdom have had it recently pointed out that they may not be as clean at home as they think. Whilst it is almost a national joke that the British house-holder buys copious amounts of disinfectant, antiseptics, soap, polish and smelly air-sprays each year, perhaps some are buying more than others. These Western Europeans probably are in the top five highest world users of such products; however, it has been discovered by US 'experts' that the typical UK indoor flooring is five times filthier than the street outside. This must be adjudged seriously when it could be considered that the litter-strewn streets Britain probably rates also in the top five of the dirtiest streets in the civilized world.

Remarkably, apparently around 10 percent of British homes never ever clean their carpets; are we talking vacuum-cleaning here, or the actual soap cleansing wash? Both, amazingly 24% of British domestic domains do not in point of fact own a vacuum cleaner, it is no wonder the National Health Service asthmatic waiting lists, and cases of rogue infections, like MRSA, are so high.

Dustmites can make their home in mattresses, pillows, blankets, quilts, carpets and fabric covered furniture. The more these items come in contact with people, the more likely dust mites will be present, and be able to survive.
Most animals, including the human animal shed pounds of skin flakes, dust-mite food, every year, most homes in the world are actual breeding grounds for a litany of health problems, like asthma. It is hard to imagine that we are not all actually ankle deep in debris but nevertheless we all naturally lose skin, head and pubic hairs by the thousands every year. A combined household of four normal adult occupants shed over three pounds in weight of skin flakes annually. That is about half a kilo for our continental viewers, which sounds more. Over 80% of the material seen floating in a sunbeam is actually flakes of skin. And what with all the vaporized sweat, breath and spit that settles on the floor at a rate of pints each day, and the acres of soil, pollen, food crumbs and other miscellaneous dirt fragments, including dried dog faeces, brought in from outside by wind or boot, a painful picture is painted of some rather nasty concoctions living in our very home.
They are most prolific in bedrooms as this area has an ambience that the dust mite loves. A bed can contain many thousands of them and an aging pillow can owe a fifth of its weight not to filling or feathers but to mites, dead and alive, but mainly their droppings.
A recent survey by an American carpet cleaning firm, stated that many carpets in British living-rooms are an ideal breeding ground for a myriad of organic material. Millions of dustmites, thousands of fleas, a selection of Bedbugs and all their children, might live in a carpet that has not seen a vacuum cleaner since it was last in the carpet store.
Though this is an international problem, it is not just a British dilemma. This household filth in any country is a seaside villa to the mighty house dust-mite. Dust-mites must be in heaven, as it must be the human equivalent of being locked in the Cadbury chocolate factory. But this is a two edged sword. Every ounce of faecal mater has come from a pound of human skin, so if we did not have dust mites surely there would be a lot more skin about.
The spider-like, house dust mites are 0.2 - 0.3 mm long and translucent. These microscopic foragers, which feed on anything organic as well as skin shed by people and pets, are indeed invisible to the naked eye, but they can be found even in the cleanest of homes. just a gram of dust may contain up to 5,000 mites, and an ounce of dust may host 150,000. So it is not hard to believe that you just cannot see them crawling about.

A dust mite's tough, translucent cuticle exoskeleton has deep body ridges that can be seen from both the dorsal and ventral views. They have long hairs, the setae, extending from the outer margins of the body, with shorter hairs on the rest of the body. Being related to the Spider, they have eight legs, but no eyes, no antennae and no mouthparts in front of their bodies, the head. Female mites lay between 40 and 80 eggs in a lifetime. A lifetime can be as short as three weeks or as long as seven weeks.

Dust Mite - Compare this with the Carpet Fiber

Being related to the Spider, they have eight legs, but no eyes, no antennae and no mouthparts in front of their bodies, the head. Female mites lay between 40 and 80 eggs in a lifetime. A lifetime can be as short as three weeks or as long as seven weeks.

The humble dust-mite lives in carpets, soft toys as well as with us in our proverbial beds. House dust mites are nearly universal in occurrence - a typical bed mattress may contain anything from 100,000 to 10 million mites.

A dust-mite, Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus, produce more than 200 times their own weight in faeces, 2,000 droppings, in a life time. A protein not only in the dust mite itself, but mainly in their faecal matter is the reason, many of us can suffer so much. When this allergen becomes airborne and is inhaled, it can trigger asthma, hay fever or itchy skin reactions. A single mite can produce up to 20 microscopic pellets of faecal matter daily.

In one's travels, as maybe a milkman, delivery-person, sales-person or even just visiting friends or relations, you will soon discover how comfortable you feel being sat in someone's home. The first thing you notice is the smell, that hits you either with pleasure or horror. You know almost immediately how you are going to feel by staying too long, least of all being offered something to eat or drink.
Though on saying that, most houses I have visited and I have been to quite a few, have not been too bad. They ranged from the operating theater clean, rooms so orderly that Monica Geller would have been proud, to those that were just bearable, to those that made you wipe your feet on the way out.
There is no doubt that when dealing with mites and or fleas, not forgetting bacteria, the new wave vacuum cleaner is our best weapon. Moreover, since Dyson reinvented the Hoover, to actually show us all the crap we are living in, 'hoovering' has become more enjoyable and visibly an essential chore. Soon everyone will have a see-through hoover as even those of the 24% will buy up the second-hand models from car-boot and garage sales.
So, after reading this article, if when the friend's cat jumps off the sofa onto the carpet and there is a small dust cloud you will perhaps think whether this household is one of those 24% who do not own a cleaner, or the occupier just wants to save electricity. Actually a good carpet can 'filter' the dust by holding it hidden amongst the fibers. Some carpets can hold an amazing two pounds in weight of dry crap and dust, per square foot. An ordinary house may have up to 1000 square feet of carpets and not only is it a dust store, it is home to a zoo full of little beings.

A representaion of mites on a fly's head.

Tips to fight against Dust Mites

No pesticides are currently approved for control of house dust mites, as you could absorb them as you sleep.
Replace feather and down pillows with synthetic fillings.
Enclose the mattress top and sides with a special synthetic cover. Thoroughly vacuuming the mattress especially the base and head of the bed. But try to keep the mattress as dry as possible; dust mites like it damp, especially with sweat.
Change and wash pillowcases, sheets, and under blankets regularly. Vacuum the bed base and around the covered mattress weekly.
Frequently wash all bedding (blankets, mattress pads and comforters) in hot water (60^oC weekly). Also wash curtains regularly.
Frequent vacuuming as a dust control measure is more likely to aggravate allergic asthmatic conditions because old style vacuums are inefficient - dust collection by conventional vacuums results in a significant increase in air borne dust concentrations.
Vacuuming is best accomplished by cleaners that trap dust in a clear plastic container or even liquid medium such as water rather than a dust bag. Unless you have one of the new see through type; just keep hoovering and emptying; hoovering and emptying until all the dust is gone.

IMPORTANT NOTE

We said over TEN years ago that a good way of keeping dustmites to a minimum, was to NOT make your bed, but to throw the bed-clothes back and open the windows wide, to have a good blow through. Many laughed, but a recent study has now concurred with this practice.

Domestic Dustmites, like every creature, have a specific environment that it has evolved to suit. These mites tend to be most numerous in warmer homes with high humidity. So keep your bedroom cool or cold; you will actually sleep better in a cool bedroom, as opposed to a warm centrally-heated one. The most favorable conditions for growth and development of dust mites are around 77 degrees Fahrenheit, which is around 25 degrees Celsius. With 70 - 80 percent relative humidity.

House dust mites absorb and lose moisture easily through their skin, and like most insects, are very vulnerable to dehydration. You will sweat pints of water and body oils in a night. You will lose hundreds of skin-flakes. And if you then protect the mite's environment with a thick quilt and central heating, the mite can do nothing but multiply unhindered. Thus producing more allergens that make you suffer.

By throwing the bed-clothes back and opening the window and the bedroom door, this flow of cool air dries the room out and blows out dust and other contributors to a bad night's sleep.

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ALSO: Always wear a top in bed, that goes from the neck, and covers your arms. Sleeping with your top naked might be OK, but it will stimulate a greater sensitivity to allergens.

Also, clean your teeth as soon as you get up, failing to wash your teeth will stimulate a greater sensitivity to allergens. Do NOT drink a tea or coffee, without cleaning your teeth, first. There will be a multitude of bad bacteria that needs to be cleaned out; your body has enough to do.

In theory you can get on top of the job and reduce allergy suffering by a large percentage. Studies have shown that in high-altitude Alpine resorts though, both the humidity and the surrounding air temperatures are too low for the dust mite to survive whereas warm, humid temperatures increase their metabolic rate, reproduction levels and chances of survival. And because warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, when the central heating comes on the mites are happy. So never have central heating in your bedroom, and keep the room well aired during the day. (Watch out for burglars.)

If none of this works, take two aspirin and ring me in the morning.

Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus

The Dust Mite

Foogle Business