ABSTRACT

House dust mites are found everywhere there are temperatures of 25-27°C and humidity of 70-80 percent. The amount of acari varies according to social conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between social factors and the observable rate of acari. A total of 303 dust samples were examined and according to results of questionnaires, increase of acari populations was observed under the following conditions: crowded homes, wooden houses, using second hand furniture, poor ventilation, insufficient cleaning, no vacuum cleaner, lack of sunlight indoors, high humidity, and presence of pets in the garden. Even though the acari density was sometimes found to be high, relationships with factors were not statistically significant. Advice to allergic patients about precautions concerning the factors may be useful.

Keywords: House dust mite, social factors