What are dust mites connections to allergies and asthma?
Approximately 50 to 80 percent of people with allergies or asthma, which breaks down to about 10 percent of the population, are sensitive to dust mite allergens. These allergies begin very early in life; when a newborn is exposed to dust mites in their first year of life, it can and will trigger a lifelong allergy. It is thought that most cases of allergies to dust are actually allergic reactions to dust mite fecal matter and cast skin. With dust mites producing approximately 200 times their body weight in allergenic waste, it’s easy to see why this may cause alarm. A dust mite allergy triggers symptoms similar to pollen allergy, as well as symptoms of asthma. When inhaled, the small dust mite fecal matter or cast skin can get caught in the bronchial tubes causing bronchial asthma. The dust mite allergy is traced to an enzyme, DerP1, which dust mites use to digest dead skin. This enzyme also breaks down the protective function of our living skin, leaving us open to dermatitis eczema an
