When a flu virus attacks lungs, the body’s immune system releases powerful chemicals to combat the infection. These chemicals are so powerful that they can also harm adjacent healthy tissue. Nature however, has devised a way of controlling this by creating a chemical regulator to restrain the attack. Research scientists have recently found that active enzymes from mite droppings can interfere with this process by inhibiting the activity of the controlling regulator. The interference not only makes flu symptoms worse, but can also prolong recovery. For asthmatics, any added inflammatory burden on already inflamed lungs is dangerous.
Considering the health risk that this important new research describes, especially now that ‘flu threatens to “morph” into a major influenza pandemic, it is time for the public to understand the risk that the mite poses and to act to protect themselves from mite exposure.
Governments can encourage this by reducing taxes on products known to be effective in house dust mite avoidance. We may not be able to avoid the ‘flu, but effective techniques to avoid mites have been known for over twenty years.
References
1. ‘Allergen-induced bronchial inflammation in house dust mite allergic patients with or without asthma’, Aalberse R.C. et al, Clin Exp. Allergy 2002; 32, 1720-1727
2. ‘House Dust Mite Der p 1 Downgrades Defenses of the Lung by Inactivating Elastase Inhibitors’, Brown A, et al, Am.J.Respir.Cell Mol. Biol. 2003 29;381-389
3. ‘Elafin (elastase-specific inhibitor) has anti-microbial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative respiratory pathogens’, Simpson AJ, Maxwell AI, Govan JRW, Haslett C, Sallenave JM,; FEBS Letters 452 (1999) 309-313
4. ´Manchester Asthma and Allergy Study: Low-allergen environment can be achieved and maintained during pregnancy and in early life’, Custovic A et al, 2000, J. Clin. Immunol. 105: No.2, Part 1;252-258. |
