Sources of pollution of indoor air by mite-allergen-containing house dust

Abstract

House dust mites have adapted well to man's environment. Their excrement represents a remarkable portion of house dust and the allergens in it. In the present study, mite excreta in dust are assessed using an azo dye formation with the mite-metabolism product guanine. Field studies show that every house has different sources of pollution, but the greatest sources are mattresses and upholstery. Different assessment methods and statistical evaluations have shown a correlation between guanine content and major allergens but not with mite counts. Although mite quantities change with ecological conditions, mite allergens in dust remain almost unchanged over years. The guanine detection method is evaluated at high altitudes and in houses with patients with and without symptoms. Studies with different samples and color readings using dust of the same textile objects show the reliability of the ACAREX test. The effect of acaricides has been observed as a decrease of ACAREX levels during the month following treatment. Except in the case of mattresses with a heavy dust contamination, the sources of pollution disappear.