긴털가루진드기(Tyrophagus putrescentiae)는 주로 실내에 서식하며 알레르기 및 호흡기 질환을 일으키는 주 요 해충이다. 주로 침구류에서 발생하며, 사람이나 동물로부터 떨어진 각질과 비듬 또는 저장 곡식 등을 주요 먹이원으로 한다. 암컷 한 마리가 일생에 200~300개의 알을 산란하기 때문에 빠르게 번식할 수 있으며, 육안으로 확인할 수 없는 크기이기 때문에 관찰 및 관리가 불가능하다. 하지만 긴털가루진드기로 인해 발생하는 알레르기 에 관한 연구는 환자의 치료에 초점이 맞춰져 있기 때문에, 근본적으로 알레르기를 발생시키는 원인을 해결할 수 있는 방안이 부족한 상황이다. 본 연구에서는 가정에서 발생할 수 있는 긴털가루진드기를 효과적으로 방제하 기 위한 통합적 방제 전략을 제시한다. 열, 살비제(Chlorfenapyr, Spiromesifen, Pyflubumide), 초음파, Essential oil(Lemongrass, Peppermint)을 사용하여 살비 및 기피 효과를 확인하였다. 고온 노출은 100% 살비 효과를 보여주 었으며, 살비제는 3시간 동안 90% 이상의 살비 효과를 보여주었다. 긴털가루진드기가 초음파에 노출되었을 때 23%의 기피 행동을 관찰하였으며, Essential oil(Lemongrass, Peppermint)을 유인용 먹이에 처리했을 때, 긴털가루 진드기 97%의 접근을 차단하였다. 본 연구를 통해 실내 알레르기의 가장 중요한 원인으로 주목받는 긴털가루진 드기에 대한 체계적인 방제 전략을 적절한 환경에 적용시킴으로써, 집먼지진드기로 인한 알레르기 및 호흡기 질환 발생을 감소시키고 안전한 주거 환경을 조성할 것으로 기대한다.

Various acaricidal agents have been used to reduce the dust mite population. On the point of keeping people away from mite allergens, however, repelling mites from the living space of human is more effective than just killing them, because the dead bodies of mites still act as allergen. To examine the potential of Artemisia in controling house dust mites, Artemisia extract was evaluated for its repellency to Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus. Repellency tests were performed using filter-paper circles cut in halves. The Artemisia extract was applied on each half at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8㎕/㎠. Proper repellent effects of Artemisia extract on house dust mites were observed at the concentrations of ＞0.4㎕/㎠. As a positive control, lavender essential oil was used at concentrations of 0, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1㎕/㎠. Lavender oil showed proper repellent effects at concentrations of ＞0.05㎕/㎠. These results suggest that Artemisia extract has potential to control the house dust mites, and might be useful as a dust mite repellent.

Dyed loess and charcoal fabrics are sold in market as bedding. They have a lot of functions so that people are getting to increase their expenditure for them. Thus we investigated a repellent effect of loess fabrics and charcoal fabrics against house dust mites. The evaluation of the repellent effect of dyed loess fabrics and charcoal fabrics was conducted by using Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus. We compared the repellent effect of dyed loess fabrics at different doses of 0.3, 1.0, 3.2, 10.0 ㎎/㎠ and dyed charcoal fabrics at different doses of 0.3, 0.6, 1.0 ㎎/㎠. Commercial loess fabrics did not have a repellent effect against house dust mites. but commercial charcoal fabrics had the repellent effect by 78% against them. In case of dyed charcoal fabrics added with charcoal powder over 0.6 ㎎/㎠, they showed the repellent effect by over 80%. These results suggest that loess fabrics and charcoal fabrics have a repellent effect of against house dust mites and they can be commercially used for the purpose.

The acricidal potency of some essential oils can be applied to the control of house dust mites. But it is more effective keeping the house dust mites away than killing them because they remain as allergens even after death. The most efficient repellent concentration of lavender and tea tree in 10㎕ against house dust mites (Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus) were experimented by direct contact bioassay method at various doses ; 2.5, 1.25, 0.625, and 0.3125% and at vairous exposure times ; 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. The most effective dose of essential oils (lavender and tea tree) against house dust were 0.625% and the repellent effectiveness at the mowt effective dose of 0.625% were 95.6% for lavander and 96.2% for tea tree, respectively. These results suggest that lavender and tee tree can be effectively used in the control of house dust mites.

House dust mite of the indoor environment is one of the most important causes of allergic asthma and rhinitis. It has been known that more than 70% of Korean children and about 50% of adult with the respiratory allergy are sensitive to house dust mite. The purpose of our study is to find out the relationship between the concentration of formaldehyde (HCHO)/PM10 and the number of house dust mite in the indoor environment. In this study, sampling sites were education, social and dwelling facilities. We inquire the questionnaire of the resident on the indoor air quality in all sampling sites. At the same time, we measured the concentration of formaldeh yde(HCHO)/PM10 as well as house dust mites. it was complained by 20% respondents that the indoor air quality was bad and by 10% that the atopy symptom was evident. When a certain amount of house dust mites were detected, the contents of PM10 were observed high and that of HCHO low. However when the house dust mites were not detected, the concentration of PM10 was low and that of HCHO high. From our results, it is concluded that the indoor air quality (i.e. conc. of PM10/HCHO) is quite related to the contents of house dust mites supporting the fact that the symptom of atopy and asthma is due to these small organisms.

The insecticidal potency of some essential oils have been suggested that they may find an application in the control of house dust mites. We compared the repellent effect of four essential oils ; lemon grass (Cymbopogon nardus), lavender(Lavandula vera), rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis) and ylang ylang(Cananga odorata). The oils were exposed at different doses(0.1, 0.05, 0.025, 0.0125, and 0.00652 ㎕/㎠) and different times(1, 2, 3, 4, 5 hours) on house dust mites(Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus). The repellent effects(%) of essential oils that were exposed at 0.1 ㎕/㎠ and for 1 hours against house dust mites were lemon grass(63.3%) and rosemary(61%), lavender(40%), ylang ylang(40%) in the order named.