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Presence and density of domestic mites in the microenvironment of mite‐sensitive dogs with atopic dermatitis
Author(s) -
Farmaki Rania,
Saridomichelakis Manolis N.,
Leontides Leonidas,
Papazahariadou Margarita G.,
Gioulekas Dimitrios,
Koutinas Alexander F.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
veterinary dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.744
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-3164
pISSN - 0959-4493
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2010.00891.x
Subject(s) - group b , mite , group a , atopic dermatitis , medicine , dust mites , veterinary medicine , zoology , house dust mite , allergen , biology , immunology , allergy , ecology
This study was designed to investigate the presence and density of domestic mites (DMs) in households with atopic dogs sensitive to these mites (group A; n = 20), in households with clinically healthy, nonatopic dogs (group B; n = 20) and in households without pets (group C; n = 25). Dust samples were vacuum‐collected from the owner mattress (all groups) and dog sleeping area (groups A and B) or living room couch (group C) on four consecutive occasions, reflecting the four seasons of the year. DMs were found, at least once, in 19 of 20 (95%) group A, 13 of 20 (65%) group B and 21 of 25 (84%) group C households. DM numbers per gram of dust were 0–159 (median, 8.8), 0–302 (median, 3) and 0–1473 (median, 6.9) for group A, B and C, respectively. Dermatophagoides farinae predominated in all groups, since it was identified in 60% of group A, 40% of group B and 64% of group C households. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was found in 45%, 35% and 48% of households, in group A, B and C, respectively. No differences were found between households with (groups A and B) or without dogs (group C). When considering both sampling sites together, frequency of DM recovery was higher in group A than in group B ( P = 0.044). Also, both mite frequency ( P = 0.011) and density ( P = 0.015) in dog sleeping area were higher in group A than in group B. In conclusion, presence and density of DMs is higher in the microenvironment of mite‐sensitive dogs with atopic dermatitis than in that of clinically healthy nonatopic dogs.