Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
House dust mites in homes of atopic dogs in Finland
By Schildt, Kirsti J M et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2017·Animagi Aurinkolahti·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of house dust mites in the homes of atopic dogs in Finland.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that house dust mites, which can trigger skin allergies in dogs, are not very common in the homes of atopic (allergy-prone) dogs in Finland. Researchers collected dust samples from the beds of 50 dogs and found that only a small number contained allergens from these mites. In fact, only 3.7% of the samples tested positive for one type of dust mite allergen, and no mites were seen under a microscope. This suggests that while many Finnish atopic dogs have allergies, the dust mites in their homes may not be the main cause.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: The house dust mites (HDM) Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus are important environmental allergens implicated in the pathogenesis of human and canine atopic dermatitis. Sensitization to HDM measured by allergen-specific IgE is common in Finnish atopic dogs. Studies on HDM prevalence in Finland are few but suggest that HDM are scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of HDM in the home environments of atopic dogs in Finland. METHODS: Dust samples were obtained from the homes of 50 atopic dogs. Samples were collected by vacuuming the owners' mattresses and each dog's bed. In each case, an area of 21 × 30 cm was vacuumed for 2 min. Samples weighing 100 mg or more were considered sufficient for determination of HDM allergen concentrations (Der f 1 and Der p 1) using standardized ELISA. Samples sufficient for further analysis were also examined by direct microscopy for the presence of mites and by multiplex PCR for HDM DNA. RESULTS: Eighty one samples were sufficient for analysis by ELISA, 59 by PCR and 29 by direct microscopy. A single sample was analysed from four homes in which the dog shared the owner's bed. Der f 1 was detected in three samples (3.7%). Der p 1 was not detected in any sample. No mites were identified on microscopy. Five samples were positive for HDM on multiplex PCR (8.4%). CONCLUSION: House dust mites seem to be uncommon in the home environment of atopic dogs in Finland despite reported frequent allergen-specific IgE antibodies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28164398/