House dust mites (HDM, or simply dust mites) are various species of acariform

mite Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear evid ...

s belonging to the family

Pyroglyphidae Pyroglyphidae is a family of non-parasitic mites. It includes the house dust mite that live in human dwellings, many species that live in the burrows and nests of other animals, and some pests of dried products stored in humid conditions. Etym ...

that are found in association with dust in

dwelling In law, a dwelling (also known as a residence or an abode) is a self-contained unit of accommodation used by one or more households as a home - such as a house, apartment, mobile home, houseboat, vehicle, or other "substantial" structure. T ...

s. They are known for causing

allergies Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derm ...

Biology

Species

The currently known species are: * '' Dermatophagoides farinae'' (American house dust mite) * '' Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus'' (European house dust mite) * ''

Dermatophagoides evansi House dust mites (HDM, or simply dust mites) are various species of acariform mites belonging to the family Pyroglyphidae that are found in association with dust in dwellings. They are known for causing allergies. Biology Species The current ...

'' * ''

Dermatophagoides microceras House dust mites (HDM, or simply dust mites) are various species of acariform mites belonging to the family Pyroglyphidae that are found in association with dust in dwellings. They are known for causing allergies. Biology Species The current ...

'' * ''

Dermatophagoides halterophilus House dust mites (HDM, or simply dust mites) are various species of acariform mites belonging to the family Pyroglyphidae that are found in association with dust in dwellings. They are known for causing allergies. Biology Species The current ...

Taxonomy

The dust mites are cosmopolitan members of the mite family

Characteristics

CSIRO ScienceImage 11085 A scanning electron micrograph of a female dust mite

House dust mites, due to their very small size and translucent bodies, are barely visible to the unaided eye. A typical house dust mite measures 0.2–0.3 mm in length. The body of the house dust mite has a striated cuticle. House dust mite faecal pellets range from 10 to 40 µm.

Diet

They feed on skin flakes from

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...

s and other

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

s, and on some

mold A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not ...

. ''Dermatophagoides farinae'' fungal food choices in 16 tested species commonly found in homes was observed ''in vitro'' to be '' Alternaria alternata'', '' Cladosporium sphaerospermum'', and '' Wallemia sebi'', and they disliked ''

Penicillium chrysogenum ''Penicillium chrysogenum'' (formerly known as ''Penicillium notatum'') is a species of fungus in the genus ''Penicillium''. It is common in temperate and subtropical regions and can be found on salted food products, but it is mostly found in i ...

'', '' Aspergillus versicolor'', and ''

Stachybotrys chartarum ''Stachybotrys chartarum'' (, ), also known as black mold or toxic black mold, is a species of microfungus that produces its conidia in slime heads. It is sometimes found in soil and grain, but the mold is most often detected in cellulose-rich ...

''.

Predators

The predators of dust mites are other allergenic mites ('' Cheyletiella''),

silverfish The silverfish (''Lepisma saccharinum'') is a species of small, primitive, wingless insect in the order Zygentoma (formerly Thysanura). Its common name derives from the insect's silvery light grey colour, combined with the fish-like appearance ...

and

pseudoscorpion Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions or book scorpions, are small, scorpion-like arachnids belonging to the order Pseudoscorpiones, also known as Pseudoscorpionida or Chelonethida. Pseudoscorpions are generally beneficial to humans sin ...

Reproduction

The average life cycle for a house dust mite is 65–100 days. A mated female house dust mite can live up to 70 days, laying 60 to 100 eggs in the last five weeks of her life. In a 10-week life span, a house dust mite will produce approximately 2,000 fecal particles and an even larger number of partially digested enzyme-covered dust particles.

Distribution

Dust mites are found worldwide, but are more common in humid regions. The species ''Blomia tropicalis'' is typically found only in tropical or subtropical regions. Detectable dust mite allergen was found in the beds of about 84% of surveyed United States homes. In Europe, detectable Der p 1 or Der f 1 allergen was found in 68% of surveyed homes.

Health issues

Allergies

Tropomyosin Tropomyosin is a two-stranded alpha-helical, coiled coil protein found in actin-based cytoskeletons. Tropomyosin and the actin skeleton All organisms contain organelles that provide physical integrity to their cells. These type of organelles a ...

, the major allergen in dust mites, is also responsible for

shellfish allergy Shellfish allergy is among the most common food allergies. "Shellfish" is a colloquial and fisheries term for aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, crustaceans su ...

Oral mite anaphylaxis

''Dermatophagoides spp.'' can cause oral mite anaphylaxis (AKA pancake syndrome) when found in flour.

References

External links

Dust Mite Allergy
on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website {{Authority control Acari and humans Acariformes Arthropod common names Arthropod infestations Building biology Cosmopolitan arthropods Dust