The Invisible Enemy
Allergies have been known for a long time, but seem to be on the increase. They are an unwanted response of the immune system. They result in inflammation in the eyes and nose (rhinitis), lungs (asthma) and skin (eczema) - and may contribute to migraine, hypoactivity and rheumatoid arthritis. It is estimated that the allergies affect some 40% of the population at some time and the percentage is on the increase.

For years, people with asthma and other dust related allergy conditions have associated airborne dust with a worsening of their symptoms. It was only in 1969 that a specific component of house dust was discovered to be the allergic trigger responsible for asthma, rhinitis or dust allergy attacks. The house dust mite excrement is one of the most widespread allergen triggers for asthma, eczema and allergic nasal mucous membrane inflammations. Further research revealed this trigger was a microscopic protein found in the excrement of the dust mite. The substance, now known as the allergen Der p1, is today recognized throughout the world as the major caused of the distressing symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, eczema and other dust sensitive conditions. Those tiny creatures thrive in their millions in the warmth and humidity of carpets, mattresses, bedding, upholstery and furnishings of even the most scrupulously clean homes. They are too small to be seen without a microscope, feeding mainly on shedded human skin scales, fungi and bacteria. House dust mites are found in every household. Even with regular and thorough house cleaning, dust particles and human skin scales continuously accumulate.

Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, head of Allergic Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School, estimates that somewhere between 500,000 and a million hospital visits are made each year by patients allergic to bio-contaminants such as fungi, mites, and bacteria. Dr. Michael Berry of the EPA states that "Carpeting and fabrics not cleaned and properly maintained have the potential to cause a variety of health problems inside the building environment."