Abstract
In order to produce large amounts of antigens of Dermatophagoides farinae (DF) and D. pteronyssinus (DP), both of which are very important species as the main inhalant allergens causing allergic diseases, mass-rearing techniques of DF and DP mites were studied. A mixture of 50% fish food powder and 50% dried yeast gave the highest production of both DF and DP, showing 37.0-fold and 51.8-fold increase in number after 12 weeks, respectively. When the same amount of culture media were used, the larger surface of the rearing container gave better production rate in both cases of DF and DP, showing 188.2-fold and 200.8-fold increase, respectively in a 154 (cm)^2 surface container (14cm in diameter) compared to a 79(cm)^2 surface container (10cm in diameter) after 12 weeks. Several different temperature and relative humidity conditions were compared for finding the maximum mass production. The highest production of DF mites resulted when 28℃ and 64% RH were provided, showing 815-fold increase in number after 10 weeks, and followed by 28℃ and 52% RH showing 773.3-fold increase after 10 weeks. In the case of DP mass rearing, the maximum production resulted when 25℃ and 75% RH were given, showing 1,391.7-fold increase in number after 10 weeks, and almost the same production resulted under conditions of 28℃ and 64% RH giving 1,385-fold increase in number after 10 weeks. When a 154(cm)^2 surface container was used, the optimum amount of culture media was 50g, and satisfactory result was obtained when the culture was started with 1,500 seed mites. During 20 weeks' observation period, the peak in number was obtained after 10 weeks of the culture in all test groups of DF and DP, and thereafter the number decreased.
