title: Dust mite infestation of flour samples.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ingestion of flour contaminated with dust mite may trigger severe anaphylaxis in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate environmental factors that affect dust mite propagation in the tropics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dust mites were introduced to a variety of flour samples and incubated at two different environmental conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that dust mites populations flourished best in wheat flour compared to other varieties of flour, and at ambient temperatures with high humidity instead of the air conditioned environment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dust mite infestation of flour is dependent on the presence of wheat and high ambient temperature in the tropics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005433:Flour / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005506:Food Contamination; D006813:Humidity; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000209:etiology*; D008925:Mites; D013696:Temperature; D014908:Triticum