A Case Study of Bite Reactions in Man and Domestic Dust Samples that Implicate the House Dust Mite Predator Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans (Acari: Cheyletidae)

Abstract

Papular urticaria (PU) is a clinical entity where various stages of bite reactions occur simultaneously on an individual who has been exposed to biting arthro pods for prolonged periods. PU is usually inflicted by fleas and midges, but sometimes by biting mites. The mite Cheyletus malaccensis is a predator of domestic mites and is found occasionally in homes, where its presence is usually regarded as innocent because it may contribute to the control of the house dust mite population. Unlike its counterpart Cheyletiella, a docu mented inflicter of bite reactions associated with pets, Cheyletus is not known to cause any problems in Britain, although there are reports to this effect from Japan. The present paper describes a case of papular bite reactions which implicates Cheyletus. Criteria for the diagnosis of PU and control measures for Cheyletus are discussed.

Keywords

Papular urticaria Cheyletid predatory mites Atopic dermatitis Skin tests Predator:prey ratio

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