“…HDM are the dominant indoor allergen associated with atopic symptoms. '^ HDM allergens have been purified and specific immunoassays, such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), have been developed and used in epidemiological studies to quantify HDM allergen exposure to humans.^''•^^T he detection of HDM allergen in naturally occurring lesions of AD has led to the hypothesis that IgE-mediated allergic contact sensitivity to HDM allergen plays an important part in the pathogenesis of AD.^^ IgE levels are higher in patients with AD than in controls.R ecent evidence strongly suggests that sensitization to allergens is prone to occur in the first 6-12 months of life.^" Efforts to reduce exposure to HDM allergens can offer quite effective secondary and, perhaps, primary prevention [20][21][22] and could provide an alternative candidate in the treatment of AD to topical and/or systemic medicines (which may have associated adverse sideeffects).^^ Reduction of environmental mites produced clinical improvement in AD.^* In Japan, clean room therapy, which reduces the levels of airborne mites to < 3 mites/m^, improved clinical symptoms of patients with AD due to the elimination of HDM faecal pellets.^Î n practice, people suffering from AD do not have access to clinical clean rooms, even for the suggested 11 h a day.^^ A simple, cheap, effective alternative means of reducing HDM exposure is sought.…”