Gli acari domestici in Sardegna

In Sardinia, a great Mediterranean island, house dust mites allergy is very spread. This investigation was carried out to determine the species, occurrence and abundance of mites in the house dust of sensitized subjects. 55 samples of house dust were examined and the mites fauna identified. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was the most abundant (54% of the found mites), and the most frequent mite (94.5%). Two others pyroglyphid species were recovered: Dermatophagoides farinae and Euroglyphus maynei that were common in Sardinian house dusts. The frequency with which E. maynei was found in this region (50%) suggests that he may well be an important cause of allergy in this region underestimated. Several species of storage mites were common in house dust, chiefly Glycyphagid and Acarid species, that have been shown to provoke strong reactions in sensitized subjects. The Mediterranean climate, and its effect on the physical conditions within the house, and the personal life style of the inhabitants are the most important factors associated with high mite numbers in Sardinian house dust.