Allergy References for Medical Professionals

The references list some of the studies upon which the recommendations in the MISSION: ALLERGY Self Help Guide are based.

These references are provided here for medical professionals, but they may be of interest to non-medical professionals as well. A full understanding of the science of allergen avoidance requires a critical reading of the full text of these and other studies.

Dr. Jeffrey Miller Publications

Below is a list of some of Dr. Jeffrey Miller's publications in PDF format.

The Role of Dust Mites in Allergy
(8.9 MB PDF)
This review paper summarizes the current knowledge of the classification, anatomy, reproduction, physiology, and distribution of house dust mites; the allergens and other immune stimulants produced by dust mites; and the diseases that dust mites cause, including asthma, rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and systemic allergy from oral ingestion.

Ultrasonic “Mite Killers” Fail to Decrease Mites in Carpeting
(891 KB PDF)
Two commercial devices that claimed to kill mites with ultrasonic sound waves were found to be ineffective.

Analyzing environmental control studies by the achieved decrease in exposure
(76.6 KB PDF)
This brief report extends an editorial concerning the proper interpretation of studies of allergen avoidance.

Difference in mite survival in blankets washed in top-loading vs. front-loading washing machines
(5.2 MB PDF)
Although warm or even cold water will remove most dust mites from blankets washed in top-loading washing machines (in which the object remains submerged in water) newer front-loading machines (in which the object is repeatedly wetted and spun) require hot water to kill and remove dust mites.

A two-site monoclonal antibody ELISA for the quantification of the major Dermatophagoides spp. allergens Dr 1 and Der f1
(1.2 MB PDF)
This paper defined the procedure by which the major dust mite allergens can be measured.

Additional effects of dietary advanced glycation end products
(44.7 KB PDF)
Advanced glycation endproducts, chemicals produced in foods cooked at high temperature in the presence of sugar, are related not only to food allergy but also to asthma, inflammation and aging.

Potential role of advanced glycation endproducts in the TH2 adjuvant effect of peanut protein
(75.3 KB PDF)
Chemicals produced during the roasting of peanuts make peanut protein more likely to cause allergy.

Castration of pets does not prevent allergy to pets
(80.4 KB PDF)
Cat allergen is produced by cats in skin glands that are responsive to testosterone, and castration of male cats had been shown to decrease production of that allergen. However, this survey of patients with cat and dog allergy receiving allergy treatment showed that only 1 of 76 cats with which those patients were living was a non-neutered male, suggesting that female and non-castrated male cats still produce sufficient allergen to cause symptoms.

Possible contribution of decreased phytoprostanes to diet-induced improvements in aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease
(76.3 KB PDF)
Phytoprostanes, inflammatory mediators produced spontaneously in plants and especially in separated plant-oils, may be responsible for worsening of asthma when ingested.

Effect of commercially available pyrethrin containing insecticides on dust mites in carpets and carpet padding
(5.1 MB PDF)
Not all insecticides are miticides, but insecticides that kill fleas, specifically pyrethrin, do kill dust mites.

Absence of homogenization might explain the benefits of raw cow's milk
(43 K PDF)
Factors in raw cow’s milk might contribute to protection against allergies. However, it is possible that it is not the presence of factors in raw milk, but rather the absence of a factor in processed milk—specifically homogenization—that is responsible for the ‘‘protection."

Blood return on aspiration before immunotherapy injection
(33 K PDF)
Aspiration of the syringe should be performed prior to the administration of an allergen injection to prevent inadvertent intravenous administration.

Chemical treatment of carpets to reduce allergen: A detailed study of the effects of tannic acid on indoor allergens
(777 K PDF)
The effect of Tannic Acid solutions on dust mite and cat allergens was studied.

Effect of allergen-impermeable covers on ß-(1,3)-glucan content of pillows
(485 K PDF)
After 6 weeks of using allergen-impermeable covers, pillows ß-(1,3)-glucan content,was significantly reduced.

Effect of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate on house dust mites in carpeting
(150 K PDF)
Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate was studied to determine its effectiveness at killing dust mites in carpeting.

Environmental assessment and exposure control of dust mites: a practice parameter
(3.91 Mb PDF)
This expert consensus paper is a literature review and state-of-the-art summary of the environmental assessment and environmental control of allergens from house dust mites.

Environmental assessment and exposure control-a practice parameter-furry animals
(202 K PDF)
This expert consensus paper is a literature review and state-of-the-art summary of the environmental assessment and environmental control of allergens from furry animals.

An evolutionary perspective on intestinal lymphatic fat absorption, the industrialization of food, and allergy
(242 K PDF)
Modifications of the human diet have led to changes in the form of ingested lipids which in turn can affect protein absorption and allergenicity.

House dust mites survive travel in the baggage compartment of commercial jet airliners
(140 K PDF)
This study examined whether house dust mites in culture could survive the low temperature and barometric pressure during flight in the luggage compartment of commercial jet airplanes.

House dust mites are unable to penetrate or colonize suede
(53 K PDF)
Pieces of suede were studied to determine whether house dust mites were able to penetrate and colonize the material.

Magician's Asthma
(58 K PDF)
Allergy to a single and unusual pet, a rabbit, is reported.

Moth crystals, but not mothballs or lavandin oil, kill mites in wardrobes
(120 K PDF)
The vapors of paradichlorobenzene moth crystals, naphthalene mothballs and lavandin oil, all of which kill house dust mites in clothing placed in small boxes, were studied to determine their efficacy at killing mites in larger areas.

Nonwoven in contrast to woven mattress encasings accumulate mite and cat allergen
(84 K PDF)
Allergen-barrier mattress encasings made from non-woven fabric allowed the penetration of live mites and mite fecal particles, and when in use in homes accumulated allergen on their surface, including dust mite allergen, and—if there was a cat in the home—cat dander allergen.

The Pancake Syndrome (Oral Mite Anaphylaxis) by ingestion and inhalation in a 52 year old woman in the northeastern United States
(60 K PDF)
Case report of a 52-year-old woman in the northeastern U.S. who had episodes of anaphylaxis following both the ingestion and the inhalation of pancake mix that had become colonized with dust mites.

Survival of dust mites in vacuum storage bags
(129 K PDF)
Vacuum storage bags, used to store blankets and out-of-season clothing, were studied to determine whether dust mites in those fabrics would survive in the small amount of air within those bags.

Ten minutes in a clothes dryer kills all mites in blankets
(122 K PDF)
The effect of the heat of a clothes dryer on the survival of dust mites in blankets was studied.

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