Dust mites: photos under the microscope of invisible insects and tips on how to get rid of uninvited guests
Dust mites are visible only under a microscope, but their presence in large numbers is well felt by a person: they cause an obsessive cough, watery eyes and a runny nose. It is difficult to deal with microscopic pests, but there are ways, if not to completely get rid of them, then to significantly reduce the number of their colonies.
Content
- The main types of house ticks
- What do dust mites look like?
- Where do dust mites live
- Dust mite damage
- How to get rid of dust mites: preparations
- Dust mites how to get rid of: folk methods
- Dust mite how to get rid of at home: physical methods
- Fighting dust mites with other methods
- Professional pest control
- dust mites on the body
- Tick sensitization and dust mite allergy
The main types of house ticks
House mites are a separate biological group of pests that live in the home environment. Not all of them are predators, but in one way or another they poison human life. Types of house ticks that live and breed in the home environment:
By type of nutrition, it is saprophage, does not bite mammals, but can cause dermatitis or an allergic reaction in humans. It lives most often in flour or grain, sometimes in cheese and tobacco. It actively reproduces at a relative humidity of 80-90% and a temperature of + 20-25 degrees.
It lives and parasitizes in the upper layers of the epidermis of animals and humans, causing severe dermatitis, inflammation and severe itching. Develops in heat with high humidity.
It prefers to feed on the blood of rats, however, in the absence of a suitable victim, it attacks humans and animals. Most often found in rural areas, it causes a disease that is difficult to treat - rat tick-borne dermatitis.
Widely distributed throughout the globe. More often, domestic birds, as well as pigeons, become its victims, but other birds can also attack. Often the infection becomes massive, if the bird is weakened, it may die. For humans, the pest is also relatively dangerous: it causes dermatitis and skin allergic reactions.
What do dust mites look like?
Ticks of this species belong to the class of arachnids. Their external features can only be considered with the help of magnifying instruments.
Dust mite: description
Under the microscope, the adult pest looks quite intimidating and resembles a spider. External characteristics of household ticks:
- body size from 0,1 to 0,5 mm;
- the body is flattened, consists of separate segments;
- body shade - from light yellow to brown;
- an adult has 4 pairs of legs, on which special suckers are located;
- the body is covered with a kind of layer that has a water-repellent property.
Where do dust mites live
Most often, pests settle in bedding, as well as hard-to-clean places where a large amount of dust accumulates. Pests can be found:
- in pillows with feather filler;
- in mattresses that serve for several years and have not been cleaned for a long time, it is known that such products are 10% composed of mites;
- in wadded blankets;
- in carpets made of natural wool;
- in bed linen;
- in curtains;
- in the upholstery of upholstered furniture;
- on bookshelves, especially open ones;
- in soft toys;
- in clothes that are rarely used and stale.
How to tell if there are mites in the dust
You can verify your assumptions with the help of special test strips that are sold in a pharmacy - they determine the presence of allergens in the dust and the concentration of parasites. In addition, you can use the services of special services involved in the fight against parasites.
Specialists will take a dust sample and, if a large number of parasites are found in it, they will disinfect the home.
On the skin
Dust mites cannot bite people, but their waste products cause allergic reactions in the form of hives, other redness, burning sensation and itching.
Dust mite damage
Human skin is constantly updated, every day a person gets rid of about 1,5 grams. its dead particles, which feed on pests. After saturation, the parasites begin to defecate, their feces contain glycogen, which often causes allergic reactions.
Also, the crushed chitinous cover of dead ticks contributes to the general allergization of the body.
Dust allergy symptoms are similar to those of other diseases, which makes it difficult to diagnose. Negative reactions of the body to dust mites can manifest themselves as follows:
- lacrimation, conjunctivitis;
- rhinitis, nasal congestion;
- dry cough;
- dyspnea;
- atopic dermatitis.
In some cases, dust mites can cause asthma. Children are especially sensitive to irritants.
How to get rid of dust mites: preparations
It is almost impossible to completely get rid of household pests in the house, but there are ways to significantly reduce their population, which will reduce the manifestation of negative reactions of the body to their presence. For this, special chemical and herbal preparations, as well as folk methods, are used.
Destruction of dust mites: vegetable repellents
Plant compounds have shown their effectiveness in the fight against dust mites, while they do not destroy, but repel parasites, preventing an increase in the number of colonies. It has been scientifically proven that the best effect can be achieved with the help of essential oils of the following plants:
- cypress-tree;
- dense-flowered pine;
- camellia japonica;
- cat mint;
- swamp mint;
- Chinese juniper.
Remedy for dust mites: household chemicals
Special acaricides allow you to control the vital activity and fertility of parasites living in dust. The following compounds are most effective, while not harming humans and animals:
Dust mites how to get rid of: folk methods
For pest control, you can use folk recipes. The undoubted advantage of such methods is their low cost and no risk of harming human health with toxic components of chemicals.
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is a natural remedy for reducing the population of dust mites. Algorithm of actions for disinfecting bed linen:
- Pour 6 tsp into a large bucket. tea tree oil and 2 tsp. liquid laundry detergent. Add hot water to the container, leaving enough space for bed linen.
- Soak bedding in the solution for one hour.
- Pull out the laundry, load it into the washing machine. Add 2-3 drops of tea tree oil to the laundry detergent. Wash clothes at the highest possible temperature.
Also, with the help of a substance, you can process the room. To do this, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning, spray essential oil in the favorite habitats of parasites, wait a while and vacuum the surface. Drops of oil are recommended to be periodically applied behind large furniture, in cracks and other places where dust tends to accumulate.
Ammonia
Ammonia-based products should not be used if there are pregnant women or small children in the house. Homemade insecticide recipe: mix alcohol with distilled water in equal proportions and add 2-3 drops of any essential oil.
Pour the resulting liquid into the spray bottle and treat all surfaces and objects on which dust accumulates.
Treated items should not be used until the alcohol component has completely evaporated.
Dust mite how to get rid of at home: physical methods
To get rid of pests, you can use other improvised methods. Significantly reduce their numbers also by changing the conditions to less favorable for their life.
Dust mite treatment of bedding by exposure to high temperatures
Bed linen should be changed at least 1 time in 2 weeks, and if an allergy occurs - 1 time in 7 days. Arthropods do not tolerate high temperatures, so it is recommended to wash clothes at a temperature not lower than 60 degrees.
Influence of ultraviolet
Ultraviolet radiation in just 2 hours kills adult ticks, and also destroys the protein bonds of enzymes in their waste products, which are the main cause of allergic reactions.
Places where ticks can live are treated with a special ultraviolet lamp.
Bedding, soft toys are recommended to be taken outside in the warm season and left in direct sunlight for 2-3 hours.
Freezing
Bed mites do not survive at low temperatures either: they die at temperatures from -5 degrees in 2 hours. In winter, you can take large items to the balcony or to the street. Small items (soft toys, small pillows) can be placed in the freezer for several hours.
After processing, things must be thoroughly shaken to discard as many dead individuals as possible. Carpets and rugs in winter are recommended to be taken outside and “bathed” in the snow: in this way, you can not only get rid of parasites, but also restore the purity of the product.
Air cleaner or air conditioner with anti-allergic filter
On sale there are special devices for purifying the air. They help to effectively deal with almost all types of allergens. To enhance the effect during the operation of the device, it is recommended to close all windows and doors in the room.
Which vacuum cleaners are best for dust mites
It is difficult to carry out high-quality cleaning without a vacuum cleaner, but most modern models do not eliminate dust, but only raise it.
If possible, it is recommended to purchase a washing vacuum cleaner or a special vacuum cleaner for the destruction of dust pests.
The latter are equipped with a built-in ultraviolet lamp and a special dust collector that does not allow even the smallest particles to pass through. However, such devices are expensive and not everyone can buy them. If you use a conventional vacuum cleaner for cleaning, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- vacuuming at least 3 times a week;
- clean not only the floor and furniture, but also curtains, drapes;
- after vacuuming, carry out wet cleaning of the room.
Steam generator
As mentioned above, household parasites die at high temperatures, so hot steam treatment is an effective method of dealing with them. Bedding, furniture, mattresses, curtains, soft toys, etc. are treated with a steam generator.
Ozone generator
Some sources mention that ozone can kill ticks, but this information has not yet received scientific confirmation. In addition, gas can slow down a person's biorhythms and disrupt metabolism.
Fighting dust mites with other methods
There are a few more recommendations, the observance of which will avoid the growth of colonies of household parasites.
Synthetic-filled pillows and duvets
Ticks live in pillows with natural feather filler, so it is recommended to refuse them. Currently, there are several modern fillings to choose from: they are convenient, relatively inexpensive and reduce the risk of an increase in the number of parasites in the home.
Types of materials in which microscopic parasites do not live:
- buckwheat husk;
- bamboo;
- coconut murre;
- latex;
- sintepon.
Professional pest control
If none of the above methods has brought the desired result, it is recommended to resort to the help of special services. The specialist will conduct the necessary dust analyzes and select effective means for the extermination of the entire colony. It is important to understand that the treatment is carried out with special insecticidal preparations, highly toxic, so the room will need to be vacated for at least 7 days.
dust mites on the body
Waste products of parasites cause skin reactions: inflammation, red spots, severe itching. The severity of symptoms depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.
Do dust mites bite
Contrary to popular belief, parasites that live in dust do not bite humans and animals - their mouthparts are simply not adapted for this. Skin reactions are not caused by bites, but by the immune system's response to exposure to substances released by pests.
How to Treat Dust Mite Bites
In order to remove inflammation, itching on the skin, it is necessary first of all to limit contact with the allergen.
To prescribe therapy, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
At home, you can alleviate the symptoms with the help of traditional methods: a weak solution of baking soda, apple juice, lemon or potatoes. If there is confidence that itching is caused precisely by bites, then a different type of tick lives on the skin.
Tick sensitization and dust mite allergy
Tick-borne sensitization is a specific reaction of the body in response to exposure to household parasites and their metabolic products.
What are the symptoms of a house dust mite allergy?
The triggering of an allergic reaction is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- frequent sneezing
- cough and runny nose without a cold;
- redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes, conjunctivitis;
- irritation of the epidermis.
Diagnosis of tick allergy
To establish the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct tests for the presence of antibodies in the blood.
Most often, a scarification test is prescribed, when an allergen in concentrated form is introduced under the skin with light piercing.
If swelling forms at the injection site, the result is positive. Patch tests are also used to diagnose allergies. The suspected type of allergen is applied to the back or arm as an application, the result can be assessed after 48 or 72 hours.
How to Treat a Dust Mite Allergy in a Child
The first aid in the event of allergic reactions should be to eliminate contact with the allergen and contact an allergist-immunologist. Self-medication is strictly prohibited. To stop unpleasant symptoms, the doctor will prescribe antihistamines and corticosteroids. However, it should be understood that such remedies only relieve the symptoms, but do not eliminate the cause of the disease.
How to Treat Dust Mite Allergy in Adults
Treatment of allergy to household parasites in adults does not differ from similar treatment in adults, the difference can only be in the dosage of prescribed drugs.
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