Prevalence of allergenic arthropods in domestic dwellings of referrals to an asthma and allergy clinic in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

BACKGROUND

Allergenic arthropods are crucial agents in inducing medically important respiratory diseases like asthma and the inflammation of the respiratory tract worldwide.

AIMS: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of all arthropods in the dwellings of people referred to the asthma and allergy clinic in Shiraz.

METHODS

This was was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Participants were 100 allergic patients who had tested positive (roach- and mite-sensitive). Mites were collected from their houses using a vacuum cleaner; other arthropods were caught with sticky traps. Direct observation and flotation methods were used and the samples were stored in 70% ethanol. Morphological characteristics were identified using valid taxonomic keys.

RESULTS

Overall, 624 specimens were identified belonging to 14 orders (4 orders of mites: Astigmata, Cryptostigmata, Prostigmata and Mesostigmata; and 10 other arthropod orders: Diptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Thysanura, Thysanoptera, Entomobryomorpha, Blattodea, Siphonaptera, Pscoptera and Isopoda). The 2 most numerous species collected were Musca domestica and Dermanyssus gallinae.

CONCLUSION

A small number of dwellings were infested with cockroaches; none were infested with the common house dust mites. The allergies induced in these patients could likely be attributed to other arthropods that are not considered main allergens in asthma and allergy clinics in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Health surveillance and prevention of infestation for these arthropods could have an immense impact on the control of the allergenic arthropod community, prevention of respiratory diseases, and personal health in Shiraz.