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Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) application and vacuum cleaning, a combined strategy to control house dust mites
Author(s) -
Codina R.,
Lockey R. F.,
Diwadkar R.,
Mobly L. L.,
Godfrey S.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2003.00100.x
Subject(s) - mite , dust mites , acaricide , allergen , pyroglyphidae , medicine , placebo , house dust mite , toxicology , zoology , allergy , biology , immunology , ecology , alternative medicine , pathology
Background: The effectiveness of acaricides in homes is controversial. Objective: To determine whether disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) combined with vacuuming lowers dust mite numbers and their allergens in carpets and sofas. Methods: A 6‐month study was carried out with 93 homes, which were randomized into three groups: (i) active, received DOT; (ii) placebo, received water; and (iii) control, received no application. Active and placebo homes were vacuumed weekly. Dust was collected from carpets and sofas at the start of the study and every 2 months thereafter and quantified for live, total mites, and mite allergen levels. Results: At 2 months, live mite numbers in active carpets were 3 ± 1, in placebo carpets 129 ± 48, and in control carpets 177 ± 39 mites/g. The corresponding numbers in sofas were 3 ± 2, 81 ± 31, and 134 ± 45 mites/g, respectively ( P < 0.001 active vs placebo and vs. control). Live mites in carpets and sofas remained lower in the active group at 6 months ( P < 0.001). Total mites in active carpets decreased from 555 ± 69 at baseline to 223 ± 32 mites/g at 6 months ( P < 0.001) and mite allergen levels from 1.36 ± 0.13 to 0.85 ± 0.16 μ g/g ( P < 0.001). Total mites in active sofas remained unchanged, but mite allergen levels decreased from 1.48 ± 0.25 at baseline to 0.7 ± 0.15 μ g/g at month 6 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: DOT kills mites in carpets and sofas, and, combined with vacuuming, effectively reduces total mites in carpets and mite allergen levels in carpets and sofas.