By Jane Yang 楊靜悠 When it comes to allergies, many people think of pollen or pet dander. But did you know that one of the most common culprits might be lurking in the dust? Meet the dust mite, a tiny creature that can wreak havoc on your immune system. In this article, we will answer some common questions about dust mites, why they are so problematic, and how you can reduce their presence in your home. What Are Dust Mites? Dust mites are microscopic creatures with a body size as small as a quarter of a millimeter that you can hardly see them without a microscope [1, 2]. Unlike insects, which have six legs, adult dust mites are close relatives to spiders and ticks, so they have eight legs [2]. Another key difference between insects and arachnids also lies in their anatomy. Insects have three main body segments – head, thorax and abdomen, whereas arachnids only have two – cephalothorax and abdomen (footnote 1) [3]. While dust mites don’t spin webs like spiders or suck blood like ticks, they are just as persistent. These tiny creatures thrive in warm, humid environments. A relative humidity of 75% is ideal for their proliferation, at which they can absorb sufficient water vapor with their specialized glands, the supracoxal glands, above the first pair of legs [2, 4]. The hypertonic sodium and potassium chloride solution secreted by the glands facilitates water absorption through osmosis. This body feature enables dust mites to survive for 65–100 days and lay 30–80 eggs during their lifetime at room temperature. At a higher temperature of 30°C, dust mites mature into adult and start reproducing much faster (from 35 to 17.5 days for Dermatophagoides farinae) [2, 5], making them a tough opponent in the battle for a clean home. Dust mites feed on dead skin cells shed by humans and pets. This means they love to settle into places like bedding, mattresses, carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture [1, 2]. If you’ve been sneezing or itching at home, dust mites might be the hidden cause. 家居的微小入侵者： The Tiny Invaders in Your Home: 塵蟎 Dust Mites
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