J Korean Med Sci.  2007 Apr;22(2):383-385. 10.3346/jkms.2007.22.2.383.

Activated Charcoal Suppresses Breeding of the House Dust Mite, Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus, in Culture

• Nam HS
• Siebers R
• Lee SH
• Kim SH
• Lee SH
• Crane J

• KMID: 1713208
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2007.22.2.383

Abstract

House dust mite sensitized asthmatics are advised to practice allergen avoidance. Charcoal pillows are used in Korea with unsubstantiated claims regarding their efficacy in alleviating asthma symptoms. We tested the effects of activated charcoal on breeding of house dust mites in culture. Twenty live adult house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) were inoculated, 10 replicates, on culture media containing 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20% activated charcoal and incubated at 25 degrees C and a relative humidity of 75%. After four weeks, the mean numbers of live house dust mites were 286, 176, 46, 16, 7, and 0 for the 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 20% charcoal-containing culture media, respectively. Thus, activated charcoal suppresses breeding of house dust mites and offers a new promising method for house dust mite control.

Keyword

Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus; House Dust Mite; Activated Charcoal; Survival; Allergy

MeSH Terms

Pyroglyphidae/*drug effects/*growth & development
*Pesticides
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Charcoal/*administration & dosage
Breeding
Animals

Reference

1. Squillace SP, Sporik RB, Rakes G, Couture N, Lawrence A, Merriam S, Zhang J, Platts-Mills TA. Sensitization to dust mites as a dominant risk factor for asthma among adolescents living in central Virginia. Multiple regression analysis of a population-based study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997. 156:1760–1764.

2. Custovic A, Taggart SC, Francis HC, Chapman MD, Woodcock A. Exposure to house dust mite allergens and the clinical activity of asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996. 98:64–72.

3. Mills S, Siebers R, Wickens K, Crane J, Purdie G, Fitzharris P. House dust mite allergen in individual bedding components in New Zealand. N Z Med J. 2002. 115:151–153.

4. Siebers RW, Fitzharris P, Crane J. Beds, bedrooms, bedding and bugs. Anything new between the sheets? Clin Exp Allergy. 1996. 26:1225–1227.

5. Ree HL, Jeon SH, Lee IY, Hong CS, Lee DK. Fauna and geographical distribution of house dust mites in Korea. Korean J Parasit. 1997. 35:9–17.

6. Frederick JM, Warner JO, Jessop WJ, Enander I, Warner JA. Effect of a bed covering system in children with asthma and house dust mite hypersensitivity. Eur Respir J. 1997. 10:361–366.

7. van den Bemt L, van Knapen L, de Vries MP, Jansen M, Cloosterman S, van Schayck CP. Clinical effectiveness of a mite allergen-impermeable bed-covering system in asthmatic mite-sensitive patients. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004. 114:858–862.

8. Woodcock A, Forster L, Matthews E, Martin J, Letley L, Vickers M, Britton J, Strachan D, Howarth P, Altmann D, Frost C, Custovic A. Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework. Control of exposure to mite allergen and allergen-impermeable bed covers for adults with asthma. N Engl J Med. 2003. 349:225–236.

9. Terreehorst I, Hak E, Oosting AJ, Tempels-Pavlica Z, de Monchy JG, Bruijnzeel-Koomen CA, Aalberse RC, Gerth van Wijk R. Evaluation of impermeable covers for bedding in patients with allergic rhinitis. N Engl J Med. 2003. 349:237–246.

10. Strachan DP, Carey IM. Home environment and severe asthma in adolescence: a population based case-control study. BMJ. 1995. 311:1053–1056.

11. Kemp TJ, Siebers RW, Fishwick D, O'Grady GB, Fitzharris P, Crane J. House dust mite allergen in pillows. BMJ. 1996. 313:916.

12. Siebers R, Fitzharris P, Crane J. Feather bedding and allergic disease in children: a cover story? Clin Exp Allergy. 2002. 32:1119–1123.

13. Siebers R, Nam HS, Crane J. Permeability of synthetic and feather pillows to live house dust mites and house dust. Clin Exp Allergy. 2004. 34:888–890.

14. Arlian LG. Dehydration and survival of the European house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. J Med Entomol. 1975. 437–442.

15. Pike AJ, Cunningham MJ, Lester PJ. Development of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) at constant and simultaneously fluctuating temperature and humidity conditions. J Med Entomol. 2005. 42:266–269.

16. Heard K. Gastrointestinal decontamination. Med Clin North Am. 2005. 89:1067–1078.