Computational investigation of dust mite allergens in a realistic human nasal cavity

Aim: Inhaled allergens from house dust mite (HDM) are a major source of allergic disease such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. It has been a challenge to properly evaluate health risks caused by HDM related allergens including mite bodies, eggs and fecal pellets. This paper presents a numerical study on particle deposition of dust mite allergens in a human nasal cavity. Materials and methods: A realistic nasal cavity model was reconstructed from CT scans and a Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis of steady airflow was simulated. The discrete phase model was used to trace particle trajectories of three dust mite related particles. Results: The flow and particle model were validated by comparing with nasal resistance measurement and previous literature respectively. Aerodynamic characteristics and deposition of dust mite allergens in the nasal cavity were analyzed under different breathing conditions including rest and exercising conditions. Conclusions: The numerical results revealed the roles of different nasal cavity regions in filtering various types of dust mite allergens with consideration of breathing conditions.