Abstract

Characterisation of coalmining area-specific house dust mite bio-allergens in the environment of Jharia coaldields

Author(s): L.L.Naik, P.S.M.Tripathi1, P.K.Mishra, S.K.Bharti

Atmospheric bio-particulates - alone, and adsorbed on the fine coal dust particles, constitute the airspora of the coalfield region and after coming in contactwith human beings, produce various allergicmanifestations. Different kinds of bio-allergens e.g. pollen grains, fungi, algae, and house dust mites(HDMs), prevalent in coalfield environments, being atypically of different compositions and varying concentrations, are not yet properly identified and investigated upon. The coal mining area-specific house dust mites prevalent in the environments of Jharia coalfields have been characterized and reported in the present paper.While 10 coalfield-specific fieldand house dust mites have been definitively identified in the present study, 3 more unidentified mite species too were found , which are also concomitantly prevalent in Jharia coalfields. Of the 3 unidentified HDMs, one is suspected to beMagnenia sps. The identified HDMs include:. Acarus sps., Austroglycyphagus orientalis, Blomia sps., Cheyletus eruditus, Cheyletus sps., Caloglyphus oudemansi, Dermayssus gallinae, Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pterinyssinus, Goheria fusca, Magnenia sps. All these HDM bio-allergens, being octopod anthropodes of arachinda group and inhalant type, are potential allergens, responsible for causing allergic health hazards manifested by different skin, respiratory and other allergic disorders in humans living in and around coal-mining and coalbased industriesÂ’ areas. The concentration of the HDMs was found to be maximum during the rainy season. These inhalant mites are potent allergens, responsible for causing hazardous allergic ailments like bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and other skin diseases.