People often believe they are allergic to house dust . But of the 20% of Australians suffering with allergies, a number are actually allergic to microscopic house dust mites . House dust mites belong to the same family as spiders and ticks.
They measure just 0.2–0.3 mm, with 50 fitting on a single pinhead.
They live for 65–100 days, and females lay 60–100 eggs in their life. House dust mites love temperate climates and humidity. They feed off the skin cells we and animals shed, as well as mold, which they digest using special enzymes.
These enzymes are excreted in their poo about 20 times a day . They also shed fragments of their exoskeletons. All these fragments trigger allergies in people with this type of allergic rhinitis (which is also known as hay fever) What are the symptoms? When people with house dust mite allergy inhale the allergens, they penetrate the mucous membranes of the airways and eyes.
Their body recognizes the allergens as a threat, releasing chemicals including one called histamine. This causes symptoms including a runny nose , an itchy nose, eyes and throat, sneezing, coughing and a feeling of mucus at the back of your throat (known as a post-nasal drip). People with this type of allergy usually mouth breathe, snore, rub their nose constantly (creating a nasal crease called the "dust mite salute") and have dark shadows under their eyes.
House dust mite allergy can also cause poor sleep, constant tiredness, reduced concentration at work or school an.
