House dust mite (HDM) allergens have been associated with allergic diseases, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Various acaricidal agents have been suggested for control of house dust mites; however, their remains act as allergens even after death. Therefore, for avoidance of allergen, expelling the mites is a more effective policy than killing them. In this experiment, we compared the repellent effect of two essential oils (Matricaria chamomilla, Lavandula vera) against house dust mites, Dermatophagoids farinae and D. pteronyssinus in bed fabric. The essential oils were applied by direct contact method at various doses (0.1, 0.05, 0.025, 0.0125, and 0.00625 μl/cm2 and at various exposure times (30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 min). Results of this experiment suggest that the two oils have significant repellent activity. Camomile essential oil in 0.0125 μl/cm2 at 240 minutes had a repellent effect of 93.7% and lavender essential oil in 0.05 μl/cm2 at 180 minutes had a repellent effect of 88.9%. The results of this study showed that camomile essential oil has more potent repellent activity than lavender essential oil at a particular concentration.

• Cha-Ho Jee(College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine Chungbuk National University) Corresponding author
• Myun-Goo Kang(College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine Chungbuk National University)