House dust mites in Caracas, Venezuela.
An investigation of bedding dust fauna was carried out in Caracas, Venezuela. Mites were recovered from all samples. The average mite density of 15.6 mites/mg dust was among the highest reported worldwide. Pyroglyphid mites were the most frequent and abundant, and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was the largest contributor to the total mite counts. It was also found that the storage mite Blomia tropicalis occurred in 96% of the samples examined and contributed an average of 15% of the total mites. The genera Tyrophagus and Tarsonemus were infrequent but occasionally large contributors to the bedding dust fauna. In our area, therefore, sensitivity to those abundant nonpyroglyphid mites should be routinely investigated in house dust-sensitive patients.
D000818:Animals; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D008925:Mites / Q000032:analysis*; D014687:Venezuela
D004391:Dust