What is a dust mite allergy?
Household dust is not a single substance but rather a mixture of many materials. Dust may contain tiny fibers shed from different kinds of fabric, as well as tiny particles of feathers, dander from pet dogs or cats, bacteria, food, plant and insect parts, and mold and fungus spores. It also contains many microscopic mites and their waste products. These waste products, not the mites themselves, are what cause allergic reactions. Allergic reactions range from itchy noses and eyes to severe asthma attacks. Areas where people spend much time, like a bed or a favorite plush chair, are prime sites for dust mites.
