CAN HOUSE-DUST MITE-TRIGGERED ATOPIC-DERMATITIS BE ALLEVIATED USING ACARICIDES

House dust mite (HDM) allergens are the most important triggers for at opic dermatitis. Reducing exposure to these allergens may alleviate cl inical symptoms. Chemicals with acaricidal activity have been used to treat upholstered furniture, carpets and bedding with the aim to reduc e HDM allergen exposure. These chemicals, by reducing HDM, can decreas e the concentration of mite allergens in dust but improvements in clin ical symptoms are not always apparent, Clinical improvement is more li kely to occur if bedding has been treated rather than carpets and upho lstery. Future control strategies should be aimed at treating bedding, Permethrin is a very efficient killer of mites. It is used topically to treat scabies and head lice and is impregnated in bed nets to preve nt mosquito bites. Even when applied to the skin in high concentration s, it has a very low toxicity in humans and other mammals. Permethrin- impregnated bedding may prove to be the best control method in the tre atment of HDM allergen-triggered atopic conditions.