Isolation of three species of mites from house dust of atopic dermatitis patients in Qualyobia Governorate, Egypt.

Dermatitis or inflammation of the skin caused by an outside agent, is a condition with many causes. It may result from direct irritation of the skin by a substances (chemical or insecticide) or it may be an allergic reaction to a particular substance that has been in contact with the skin as soap or detergent or insect urticating hairs; injected as insect saliva or faeces or sting or taken by mouth as food or drug. In general, treatment of dermatitis depends mainly upon the cause. In the present study, three species of mites were isolated from the dust collected from houses of atopic dermatitis patients. These mites were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Ornithonyssus bacoti and Haemogamasus pontiger. The former species was the predominant one which is known to produce the most potent allergen. It was concluded that house dust mites are one of the aetiological factors of atopic dermatitis and that genera of mites other than Dermatophagoides may be considered as allergen in house dust mites.