Dust mite allergy

Dust mite allergy symptoms include: • Cough • Facial pressure and pain • Itchy, red or watery eyes • Itchy nose, roof of the mouth or throat • Nasal congestion • Postnasal drip • Runny nose, sneezing • Swollen, blue-colored skin under the eyes If the dust mite allergy contributes to asthma: • Audible whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling • Bouts of coughing or wheezing that are worsened by a respiratory virus such as a cold or the flu • Chest tightness or pain • Difficulty breathing • Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing ==Cross-reactivity to shellfish allergy==

Tropomyosin, a minor allergen in dust mites, is also responsible for shellfish allergy. Exposure to inhaled tropomyosins from dust mites is thought to be the primary sensitizer for shellfish allergy, an example of inhalant-to-food cross-reactivity. Epidemiological surveys have confirmed correlation between shellfish and dust mite sensitizations. In addition to tropomyosin, the proteins arginine kinase and hemocyanin seem to have a role in cross-reactivity to dust mites. ==Prevention==

Furniture Furniture with wooden or leather surfaces reduces the dust mite population. Hot tumble drying a bed linen for 1 hour will kill 99% of mites therein. Dust mite eggs are freeze tolerant (−70 °C for 30 minutes); hatching can normally be prevented by exposure of fabrics to: • Direct sunlight for 3 hours or • Dry or wet heat of at least 60 °C (140 °F) for a minimum of 30 minutes. Dust mites drown in water. • Thread count greater than 246. • Pore size of between 2 and 10 micrometres. This will prevent dust mite faecal pellets that can be small as 10 μm. • Allergen impenetrability >99%. • Dust leakage of less than 4%. • Breathability between 2 and 6 cm3 s−1 cm−2. Indoor climate Allergy patients are advised to keep the relative humidity below 50%, if possible. Very few mites can survive if the humidity is less than 45% (at ). However, they can survive if the humidity is high just for an hour and a half per day, for example due to moisture released to the air when cooking food. == Treatment ==

Allergen immunotherapy Allergen immunotherapy (AIT, also known as desensitization or hypo-sensitization) is a treatment involved in administering the doses of allergens to accustom the body to substances that are generally harmless (pollen, house dust mites), thereby inducing specific long-term tolerance. Allergen immunotherapy is the only treatment that alters the disease mechanism. Immunotherapy can be administered orally (as sublingual tablets or sublingual drops), or by injections under the skin (subcutaneous). Subcutaneous immunotherapy is the most common form and has the largest body of evidence supporting its effectiveness. Subcutaneous immunotherapy Subcutaneous Immunotherapy (SCIT) also known as Allergy Shots are series of shots/injections of the allergen given into the fat under the skin that have progressively larger amounts of allergen. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) HDM-SLIT tablet, House Dust Mites (Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) Allergen Extract (brand names: Odactra, Acarizax, Miticure), is an allergen extract for the immunotherapic treatment of adolescents (12–17 years) and adults (18–65 years). It treats house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic rhinitis, with or without conjunctivitis. New Zealand, and several European countries. In February 2025, the indication for Odactra was expanded to include use in individuals aged five through eleven years of age to treat house dust mite induced nasal inflammation (allergic rhinitis), with or without eye inflammation (conjunctivitis). Odactra is an allergen extract immunotherapy that is administered under the tongue (sublingual) and had been approved for use in individuals aged 12 through 65 years of age. The FDA approved prescribing information includes a boxed warning to inform that Odactra can cause severe allergic reactions that may be life-threatening. == Further reading ==