Dust mite allergens: mitigation and control

In recent years, greater attention has been given to the role of indoor allergens as a cause of sensitization and allergic respiratory diseases. Although indoor allergen control measures to reduce symptoms in individuals allergic to mites have produced controversial results, environmental allergen avoidance is today one of the four primary goals of asthma management recommended in several guidelines of asthma treatment. Exposure to high indoor aeroallergen levels, especially to house dust mite allergens, is an important environmental risk factor for allergic sensitization and the subsequent development and exacerbation of asthma. Therefore, effective aeroallergen avoidance is of use to prevent and treat allergic diseases. Although endotoxin exposure may be protective in early life, it has been demonstrated that the inhalation of endotoxin may exacerbate asthma in house dust mite sensitized patients. Mite-allergic asthmatic patients should be aware of the dangerous combination of mite allergen exposure associated with high endotoxin levels in house dust. These two immunologically active substances have been associated with severe asthma and seasonal exacerbation of symptoms. Effective house dust mite allergen avoidance will never be achieved using a single control measure; various methods are required to affect the multiple factors that facilitate high indoor allergen levels. Education of the patients and their families is also an important component of environmental control strategies.