{"id":1267,"date":"2020-08-18T20:58:05","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T18:58:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hausstaubmilben.org\/?p=1267"},"modified":"2020-09-23T12:15:49","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T10:15:49","slug":"allergies-caused-by-mites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hausstaubmilben.org\/en\/allergies-caused-by-mites\/","title":{"rendered":"Allergies caused by mites"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Foto: HayDmitriy \/ depositphotos.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Dust mites are found almost everywhere in the world and are found almost exclusively in human homes. They feed on our skin scales and are in principle harmless to humans. Dangerous, however, are the excrements of the animals, which can sometimes cause allergies in humans. In Germany, for example, almost every tenth citizen suffers from the consequences of a house dust allergy.<\/p>\n

How does an allergy develop?<\/h2>\n

In Germany, around one in three people is affected by an allergy – and the trend is rising. When basically harmless substances suddenly trigger violent immune reactions in the body, this is known as an allergy. The reason is an overreaction of our immune system to a foreign substance. In technical jargon, substances that are capable of triggering an allergy are called allergens. Allergens include, for example, flower pollen, moulds, animal hair or mite faeces. As a rule, these are proteins foreign to the body. Chemical products such as cosmetics or pharmaceuticals are also suspected of triggering more allergies.<\/p>\n

What is a house dust allergy?<\/h2>\n

Those affected react with allergic reactions to components and excretions of mites. The colloquially used term ”house dust allergy” is therefore factually misleading, as it is not the dust that is the allergen, but proteins from the excretions of the mites that adhere to the dust. These tiny animals are barely 0.1 millimetres in size and feed mainly on keratin, the main component of our skin and hair. Mattresses, sofas and other textiles in the household are the ideal habitat for them thanks to the warm and humid climate. Since allergy sufferers are exposed to the irritants for a particularly long time at night, the symptoms manifest themselves most severely in the morning.<\/p>\n

What symptoms does the house dust allergy cause?<\/h2>\n

A house dust allergy does not always manifest itself through allergic reactions. Although many people are by definition allergic to mites, they can cope with everyday life without any problems. Some people, however, regularly suffer from the typical consequences of a house dust allergy, which are symptomatically similar to hay fever. The symptoms are particularly pronounced at the start of the heating season during the winter months. During the summer, mites multiply rapidly thanks to the optimal conditions. They die off in the cold and dry autumn. The convection caused by the heating system enters the breathing air with the house dust. Inhaled, they cause the typical symptoms of a house dust allergy.<\/p>\n

The symptoms include:<\/p>\n