I found the following comments found at
http://www.acaai.org/public/advice/dust.htm<about:blank> about dust mites quite
interesting. What I didn't know is that Dust mites I read are suppose to die
when humidity falls below 40-50 per cent.

I'll have to reprint the article and distribute with my literature about
hypoallergenic bed sheets, pillow cases and pillows.

Kenneth Gibala

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What are dust mites?
Tiny microscopic creatures called dust mites are an important cause of allergic
reactions to house dust. They belong to the family of eight-legged creatures
called arachnids. This family also includes spiders, chiggers and ticks. Dust
mites are hardy creatures that live well and multiply easily in warm, humid
places. They prefer temperatures at or above 70°F with a relative humidity of
75-80 percent and die when the humidity falls below 40-50 percent. They are
rarely found in dry climates.

As many as 10 percent of the general population and 90 percent of people with
allergic asthma are sensitive to dust mites. Recent studies in the United States
suggest that at least 45 percent of young people with asthma are allergic to
dust mites.

People who are allergic to dust mites react to proteins in the bodies and feces
of the mites. These fecal particles are found in the highest concentrations in
pillows, mattresses, carpeting, and upholstered furniture. They float into the
air when anyone vacuums, walks on a carpet or disturbs bedding, but settle out
of the air once the disturbance is over. Dust mite-allergic people who inhale
these particles frequently experience allergy symptoms. In fact, a dust mite
allergic patient who sleeps for 8 hours every night spends one third of his life
with his nose in direct contact with a pillow loaded with dust mite particles!

There may be many as 19,000 dust mites in one gram of dust, but usually between
100 to 500 mites live in each gram. (A gram is about the weight of a paper
clip.) Each mite produces about 10-20 waste particles per day and lives for 30
days. Egg-laying females can add 25-30 new mites to the population during their
lifetime.

Mites eat particles of skin and dander, so they thrive in places where there are
people. Dust mites don't bite, cannot spread diseases and usually do not live on
people. They are harmful only to people who become allergic to them. While usual
household insecticides have no effect on dust mites, there are ways to reduce
exposure to dust mites in the home.









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