Effects of temperature on the hatchability of mite eggs and their allergen concentration

If the life cycle of the house dust mite is interrupted at any stage, survival of the species will be jeopardized, which is one way of physically controlling ubiquitous proliferation. In an effort to inhibit hatchability and the production of allergens, eggs from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus were exposed to a range of temperatures. A total of 10,130 Dp eggs were exposed to various temperature settings ranging from 40° to 70°C in 10° increments for both dry and wet heat, in addition to direct sunlight. Exposure to cold was induced using a refrigerator at 4°C, its freezing compartment at −10°C and a deep freezer at −20°, −40° and −70°C. The duration of exposure extended from 30 min to 5 hrs. Samples left at room temperature served as controls and were examined after 15 days. The survival rate of eggs maintained in identical cold conditions was also observed after 1 month. Dp eggs were examined for Der p 1 allergen concentration by ELISA. A mean percentage of hatching