Pincer tick (feather)

A feather tick, it is also a clothing, linen, bed, dusty has the official name Dermatophagoides. The microscopic arachnid eats dead scales of skin, feathers, therefore it often lives in bedding, feather-beds, pillows. Get rid of parasites completely and completely impossible. All efforts are directed at reducing their number.

Description of appearance, lifestyle

The feather tick in pillows lives 80 days, during which time it lays 60 eggs. It is impossible to see arachnids with the naked eye. The body size of an adult is 0.1-0.5 mm. Feather mites live in numerous colonies, on average 100-300 parasites per 1 cm of feather pillow. A photo of ticks in pillows is presented below.

Dermatophagoides do not bite, do not settle on the human body, do not harm themselves. Feather tick feces, which are tiny in size and contain allergens, are dangerous to health. If it gets on the skin, it causes local irritation, in the respiratory tract - systemic allergic reaction.

On a note!

Ticks in pillows feed, live, actively breed. For 3 years of operation of feather products, the weight fraction of parasites in the total weight of the pillow is 50%, in the future it only increases. Generational change occurs very quickly, humidity over 60% contributes to continuous reproduction, stable air temperature within 22 degrees Celsius.

Where does the pillow tick come from

The parasite enters the house with street dust through open windows, cracks in the wall, clothes, things. The obvious presence of ticks in the house is dust on the surface of furniture, home decoration, in pillows, on curtains, carpets.

Feather mites accumulate in large numbers in places where there is an abundance of food. The most favorable place is a bed, natural fabrics, fluff, feathers. With an amount of 100 pieces per 1 cm. parasites do not pose a risk to human health, with an increase in the colony, the damage becomes noticeable.

Symptoms

The presence of feather ticks in pillows can be determined by indirect, direct signs. After sleeping, resting in bed, a person feels:

• headache;
• weakness;
• malaise;
• decreased performance;
• drowsiness;
• lack of energy.

Vivid symptoms often develop in people with an increased tendency to allergies, small children. The clinical picture is different, often found:

• rashes on the skin with itching, redness, peeling;
• rhinitis;
• frequent sneezing
• dry choking cough;
• lacrimation.

The condition normalizes on its own when eliminating annoying factors (if a person begins to sleep in another place, spring cleaning, etc.), or special treatment is required.

How to get rid of feather ticks

It is impossible to completely remove parasites in the house. Even with regular cleaning, a minimal number of parasites survive. All efforts are directed at reducing the number of feather ticks to a safe level.

• Regular house cleaning. Dust should be wiped every week. To increase efficiency, they use special detergents, cleaning products or make a solution on their own - for 10 l of water 1 tbsp.spoon of baking soda, table salt, a few drops of soap.
• Washing. Things should be washed in hot water, dried in a well-ventilated area, on the street. Be sure to iron with steam and store in closed plastic bags. Curtains, soft toys should also be sent regularly for washing.
• Elimination of dust in carpets. The best option is the use of modern vacuum cleaners with aquafilters. Conventional household appliances contribute to the spread of feather ticks throughout the house, do not reduce their number. If there is no modern vacuum cleaner, carpets are taken out onto the street, knocked out.
• Special means. Special preparations containing a small dose of an insecticidal substance are on sale. Designed for processing soft, hard surfaces, washing. The action lasts from a week to 12 months. The price of funds from feather, dust mites from 150 rubles. up to 5000 rub.
• Minimization of dust collectors. Change the interior. Get rid of curtains, carpets, paths, soft toys. Buy furniture with a leather covering or from a leather substitute.

Particular attention should be paid to the bed. Even if everything is perfectly clean in the house, ticks will live in feathers.

• Replace feather pillows, mattresses with synthetic fiber products - silicone, synthetic winterizer, granular holofiber, etc.
• Take pillows out on a regular basis in hot, frosty weather. Feather mites are afraid of bright light, high, low temperature, wind.
• Dry clean pillows, blankets, mattresses.
• Wash bedding in soapy water. Lower the pillow for several hours, rinse in clean water, hang it on the street to dry, periodically whipping feathers.

It is recommended to buy new pillows, blankets once every 3 years, regularly put dry mattresses on.

Feather tick allergies in humans

Special tests will help determine an allergic reaction to feather ticks. Regular cleaning, washing, and the use of special tools will help reduce the number of parasites in the house. When minimizing arachnids in the house, pillows, the condition normalizes independently for several days. The main task is to maintain cleanliness in the house, observe hygiene rules, often ventilate the room, monitor humidity.

Severe allergy symptoms are treated with antihistamines, anti-allergic drugs. Ointments, lotions, creams, tablets, drops, suspensions are used. To eliminate the manifestations of allergy during the elimination of allergens, the condition improves within a few days.

On a note!

An increased number of feather ticks in the house, pillows, bedding, frequent allergies provokes a decrease in local, general human immunity. The risk of breeding another dangerous parasite increases - demodex tick. Localized initially on the skin of the face. A striking symptom of the defeat of the epidermis is acne.