Asthma due to dust mites

Asthma due to dust mites: One in ten Germans suffers from house dust mite allergy

06/13/2013

Dust mites - around one in ten Germans have problems with the little arachnids and show reactions such as allergic rhinitis, sneezing, sore throat or itchy eyes. In most cases, however, it only becomes apparent very late that it is a true allergy, often only when the head cold has already developed into asthma.

A tiny mite causes the house dust mite allergy
The house dust allergy or house dust mite allergy - a widespread phenomenon, because according to the German Allergy and Asthma, this belongs to the pollen allergy to the most common allergy in Germany, which affects about one in ten. The name is initially misleading, because the trigger of the allergy is not the dust, but a small mite, which is not visible to the naked eye with a size of 0.1 to 0.5 millimeters. The small animals find food in the dander of humans and animals, they feel most comfortable at temperatures of 20 to 30 degrees and a humidity of about 70 percent - on the other hand, at heights of 1200 meters, they can not survive.

Dung mite triggers allergic reactions
The mites themselves are not a problem for humans, because they can not transmit diseases or be dangerous by bites or stings. Instead, the feces of the animals triggers the allergic reaction, because this contains certain proteins (allergens) to which the immune system is hypersensitive. Since these allergens are too heavy to float in the air, they find themselves increasingly in all sorts of places on the ground - for example, in carpets or upholstered furniture, but especially in mattresses, because the mites find a variety of food in Form of dander, which makes the bed an ideal habitat.

Symptoms from mild itching to severe asthma
The symptoms of a house dust allergy are varied and range from relatively mild discomfort such as itchy, watery eyes or itching and swelling of the nasal or pharyngeal mucosa on persistent cold and sneezing to asthmatic reactions such as asthmatic cough. However, especially the lighter complaints often do not receive sufficient attention from those affected, so that in many cases medical advice is sought only after years: „Only when the typical for allergies floor changes has occurred and asthma occurs, most go to the doctor“, said the chairman of the board of the Federal Association of Pulmonologists (BdP) Andreas Hellmann. According to the experts, the number of allergies has risen dramatically in recent years, with one in ten Germans suffering from a house dust allergy, only certain pollen allergies - such as those against birch trees - are even more common: „Now a plateau is reached, because it is hardly possible that even more people are affected“, explains the pulmonologist.

Absolute safety only through bronchial provocation test
As soon as the person concerned turns to a specialist, first of all a careful and detailed anamnesis is important, because by informing the patient of his symptoms, the physician already receives the first important insights: „If symptoms such as thick nose and swollen eyes or asthma symptoms occur, especially at night or in the morning, this indicates a house dust mite allergy“, so the lung specialist Hellmann. Following the medical history, skin and blood tests would then normally be performed, as large amounts of antibodies in the blood are another important indicator of allergy. But absolute security could, according to Hellmann, only a so-called „Bronchial provocation test“ because the affected person must breathe in mite allergens, which would reliably diagnose whether or not it is an allergic asthma. Because the likelihood of confusion in allergic asthma and non-allergic asthma is the expert according to large, since the non-allergic form would often occur primarily at night.

Important for house dust allergy: renovate living environment
If there is a house dust mite allergy, according to Hellmann „First of all, the living environment will be redeveloped“, that means to remove dust collectors and above all to clear the bed of mites - so to buy bedding and mattresses especially for allergy sufferers, which there are now in many different versions. As a result, according to the expert, the symptoms often disappear - if this is not the case, the doctor could prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs such as cortisone spray in the next step, because „Antihistamines effective against other allergies have proven less effective in treating house dust mite allergy“, Hellmann.

Specific immunotherapy as a further treatment option
In addition to the renovation of the living environment as well as a possible drug treatment, the specific immunotherapy is often used - while the person is administered the allergen in very small amounts. The amount is then increased step by step, whereby the immune system learns to develop tolerance to the allergen and to show no overreaction. According to Hellmann, for house dust mite allergy, this would mean injections lasting three to six weeks each.

Those affected should provide for as little as possible milking habitat
A „vaccination“ in the sense of a short treatment or even a self-treatment of the patient against house dust mite allergy, however, there is not yet. Although according to the experts already active ingredients in the development, but the test phase would take several years. Until then, those affected will have no other choice than to renovate their own living space or to provide as much as possible mite and allergen-poor living space.

Do not use dust collectors and often wipe off smooth floors with a damp cloth
Accordingly, allergy sufferers should not only use mite-resistant mattresses, beds and bedding, but also make sure to ventilate all rooms well and keep dry and in the house on dust traps (such as open bookshelves, many Cushions or stuffed animals). Cuddly toys of children could go beyond that „be freed from mites by a "visit" in the freezer“, As the association recommends on its website, an alternative here also offer washable cuddly toys. In addition, according to the association „For allergy sufferers, smooth floors are only cheaper if they are wiped very frequently - several times a week - wet, as the dust that accumulates here is more strongly swirled than with short-pile carpets“. (No)

Image: Maja Dumat