Prevention and nonpharmacologic treatment of mite allergy.

Sensitization to the house-dust mite is one of the most important risk factors for asthma, and a dose-response relationship between exposure to house-dust-mite allergens and asthma as well as asthma severity has been shown by several authors. The likelihood of mite-allergen exposure varies according to geographic conditions. To prevent exacerbation and deterioration, of established allergic disease, treatment of symptoms and inflammation should if possible, be combined with allergen avoidance. A broad range of mite-avoidance measures are theoretically possible, and this article reviews possible strategies.