Nutrición Hospitalaria

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Li, Chaopin; Zhan, Xiaodong; Zhao, Jinhong; Wei, Guo

Gohieria fusca (Acari : Astigmata) found in the filter dusts of air conditioners in China
Nutrición Hospitalaria, vol. 31, núm. 2, febrero, 2015, pp. 808-812
Grupo Aula Médica
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 Nutr Hosp. 2015;31(2):808-812
ISSN 0212-1611 • CODEN NUHOEQ
S.V.R. 318

Original / Investigación animal
Gohieria fusca (Acari : Astigmata) found in the filter dusts of air
conditioners in China
Chaopin Li1,2, Xiaodong Zhan2, Jinhong Zhao2 and Guo Wei2
1
Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science & Technology, Huainan 232001, Anhui,
China. 2Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Basic Medicine, Wannan Medical University, Wuhu 241002,
Anhui, China.

Abstract GOHIERIA FUSCA (ACARI: ASTIGMATA)

ENCONTRADO EN EL POLVO DE LOS FILTROS
Objective: Gohieria fusca(Oudemans, 1902) is recogni- DE APARATOS DE AIRE ACONDICIONADO EN
zed to breed in wheat flour, rice, corn, feeds, wheat bran CHINA
and herbal medicines as well as other stored products,
and capable of having mild to moderate cross reactivity
with allergens of house dust mites, an important sour- Resumen
ce of indoor allergens associated with asthma and other Objetivo: La Gohieria fusca (Oudemans, 1902) se re-
allergic conditions. Air-conditioning systems are indis- produce en la harina de trigo, arroz, maíz, piensos, salva-
pensable in public and civil buildings, and the screens of do de trigo y los medicamentos a base de hierbas, además
the air conditioners are the most places to accumulate de en otros productos almacenados; este ácaro puede
dusts. In order to investigate whether Gohieria fusca can tener una reactividad cruzada de leve a moderada con
breed in the screens of air-conditioners equipped at ei- alérgenos de los ácaros del polvo domésticos, una impor-
ther public spaces or civil dwellings in Wuhu city, Anhui tante fuente de alérgenos de interior asociada al asma y
province, China. otras afecciones alérgicas. Los sistemas de aire acondi-
Methods: We collected 430 dust samples from the fil- cionado son indispensables en edificios públicos y civiles,
ters of air-conditioning systems at the school cafeteria, y las pantallas de estos aparatos son los lugares donde
marketplaces, hotels and civil buildings between June más se acumula el polvo. Se realizó este estudio con el fin
and September of 2013, and isolated Gohieria fusca from de investigar si la Gohieria fusca puede reproducirse en
the previous samples. las pantallas de los acondicionadores de aire instalados
Results: The results suggested that Gohieria fusca was en espacios públicos o viviendas en la ciudad de Wuhu,
present in 98 of the 430 samples (22.79%), and the bre- provincia de Anhui, China.
eding rate was significant in the air-conditioning filters Métodos: Se recogieron 430 muestras de polvo de los
from different spaces (c2=18.294, P<0.05). A total of 783 filtros de los sistemas de aire acondicionado en la cafete-
carpets of Gohieria fusca were detected in the 510.5g sam- rías de centros educativos, mercados, hoteles y edificios
ples, and the mean breeding density was 1.53 carpets/g. civiles entre junio y septiembre de 2013, y se aisló la Go-
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that Gohieria fusca hieria fusca de dichas muestras.
is prevalent in the screens of air-conditioners in Wuhu Resultados: Los resultados indicaron que la Gohieria
area, and its breeding status appears serious. fusca estaba presente en 98 de las 430 muestras (22,79%),
(Nutr Hosp. 2015;31:808-812) y la tasa de reproducción fue significativa en los filtros
del aire acondicionado de diferentes espacios (c2=18.294,
DOI:10.3305/nh.2015.31.2.8188 P<0.05). Se pudo detectar un total de 783 cabezas de Go-
Key words: Acaroid mites. Gohieria fusca. Air conditio- hieria fusca en los 510,5 gr. de muestras, y la densidad de
ner filter. Breeding surroundings. Allergy. cultivo era de 1,53 cabezas/gr.
Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados confirman la pre-
valencia de la Gohieria fusca en las pantallas de los apa-
ratos de aire acondicionado en la zona de Wuhu, y la si-
tuación de su reproducción parece grave.
(Nutr Hosp. 2015;31:808-812)
DOI:10.3305/nh.2015.31.2.8188
Correspondence: Chaopin Li. Palabras clave: Ácaros. Gohieria fusca. Filtro del aire
School of Medicine, acondicionado. Entornos de reproducción. Alergia.
Anhui University of Science & Technology, Huainan 232001,
Anhui Province, China.
E-mail: [email protected]
Recibido: 5-X-2014.
Aceptado: 6-XI-2014.

808

037_8188 Gohieria fusca encontrado en los polvos de filtro de acondicionadores de aire en China.indd 808 07/01/15 16:16
 Introduction nent specimen. The preparation procedure was modi-
fied somewhat on the previous technique basis5 . The
Gohieria fusca (Oudemans, 1902), also known acaroid mites harvested were directly sealed in a plate
as brown flour mite, is frequently breeding in wheat with the pink sodium lactate solution and stored in the
flour, rice, corn, feeds, wheat bran and herbal medici- incubator for 30 min at 37°C. Then the mites were di-
nes as well as other stored products1. This species ex- rectly identified and classified under the microscope,
hibits mild to moderate cross reactivity with allergens and the specimens were removed back into the preser-
of house dust mites2, eventually resulting in various vation solution after observation.
allergic disorders, including asthma, allergic rhinitis,
atopic dermatitis and urticaria3. Nevertheless, few data
are available on the presence of Gohieria fusca in the Mite identification
filters of an air conditioner. In order to determine whe-
ther Gohieria fusca can be present in such equipments, Classification and identification of the mite species
we conducted an investigation on the filter dusts of air were performed as previous definition6 in terms of the
conditioning units equipped at the school dining-room, family, genus and species.
marketplaces, hotels and civil dwellings in Wuhu city
of Anhui province, China, between June and Septem-
ber of 2013. Data processing

Average number of the mite breeding in the samples

Materials and methods was expressed by B=N/T, where N indicates the total
count for the samples and T, the total weight of the
samples.
Dust sample collection The breeding rate was calculated as (the acaroid
mites detected in the dust samples from the air con-
The dust samples from the air conditioner filters ditioning unit/the total samples collected in the same
were collected in the school cafeteria, marketplaces, space)×100%. χ2 was used to compare the breeding
hotels and civil houses. The collection was perfor- rate in different samples.
med as previous description4 by initially removing the Constituent ratio was enumerated by (the total
screens from the air conditioning unit and gently dus- number of the Gohieria fusca developing in a certain
ting the dusts with a hairbrush into a white porcelain period/the total number of Gohieria fusca harvested in
dish. The samples were separately sealed in a plastic the total samples)×100%.
pouch, label with details, including the collection time,
places, location of the air conditioning units and co-
llector, and taken back to the laboratory to isolate the Results
mites.

Identification of the mite species

Mite isolation
The idiosoma of the male Gohieria fusca measures
The dust samples were measured and separated the approximately 300μm in length, both dorsal and ven-
fine dusts from larger particles with a sample sieve. tral surfaces of the body are well tanned and covered
The larger particles were detected with directicopy, with pinkish-brown pitted cuticle. The genital opening
i.e., the samples were contained in a plate and exa- is situated between coax IV, and the tip of the straight
mined directly under the zoom-stereo microscope by tubular-like penis extends backward. The anal opening
moving the particles from one side to another with a stretches to the posterior border of the body and a pair
zero-sized hairbrush. Once the mite being identified, it of anal setae arise from the anterior margin. The exter-
was taken with a new brush to prevent mis-count. The nal verticals (ve) are horizontal to the pectinate supra-
mites in the fine dust samples were isolated with wa- coxal seta (ps) that arise from a small groove. The legs
ter floatation by the following procedures: 1) The dust are thicker and shorter, and the pretarsus arise from the
samples were mixed with clean water; 2) The mites ventral side of the apex of each trasus. The tips of the
floated on the water surface were not collected until genua and the femor are expanded and surrounding the
the mixture became still and clear. adjacent segment and the valla are visible at the dorsal
genua and tibiae.
Female Gohieria fusca is approximately 400μm
Mite sample preparation long, and has weaker body color and finer setae. Ven-
trally, a larger genital fold is situated at between the
Temporary mite samples were prepared for the cu- coxae I and IV. The apodemes I are fused into the
rrent investigation because of longer time for perma- transverse plate anterior to the genital opening, and the

Gohieria fusca (Acari : Astigmata) Nutr Hosp. 2015;31(2):808-812 809

found in the filter dusts of air conditioners
in China

037_8188 Gohieria fusca encontrado en los polvos de filtro de acondicionadores de aire en China.indd 809 07/01/15 16:16
 apodemes II are proximal to the circumgenital ring and rooms, and was maximal for the school cafeteria(2.39
internally connected with the apodemes III and IV. The heads/g; 318/132.8) and minimal for the marketpla-
smaller genital sense organs are situated at the poste- ces(0.78 heads/g; 115/146.7). The breeding density in
rior border of the genital fold. The folds at either side filter dusts was 1.51 heads/g (217/144.6) for hotels and
of the anal opening overgrow the posterior border of 1.53 heads/g (133/86.4) for civil houses.
idiosoma, and have two pairs of anal setae at both si-
des. The opening of the bursa copulatrix is shielded by
a small prominence and connected by a tube with the Constituent ratio for Gohieria fusca in dissimilar
seminal receptacle. The legs of the female Gohieria development stage
fusca are slenderer, with more developed longitudinal
ridges than the males (Fig. 1). Pool statistics was performed for the identified
Gohieria fusca in different life cycles. We totally de-
tected 533 eggs, 70 protonymph, 151 tritonymph and
Breeding rate of Gohieria fusca in the filters of air 426 adults. The constituent ratio was maximum for
conditioning units in different spaces the eggs(45.16%) and minimum for the protonym-
ph(5.9%).
Gohieria fusca was detected in 98 of the 430 filter
samples, with a breeding rate of 22.79 %(98/432). In
109 samples from the school dinning-room, 37 were Discussion
positive and the breeding rate was 33.94%. Ten of the
93 filter samples from marketplaces were positive, The grain or flour mite, belonging to Acariformes
with a breeding rate of 10.75%. Of the 118 samples and Acaridida, includes 7 families: Acaridae, Lardo-
from hotels, 21 were positive, and the breeding rate glyphidae, Glycyphagidae, Chortoglyphidae, Carpo-
was 17.80%. Thirty of the 110 filter dusts from civil glyphidae, Pyroglyphidae, Histiostomidae. In recent
dwellings were positive and the breeding rate accoun- years, Krantz, G.W et al7 re-labeled the Acari as 2
ted for 27.27%. The results showed that the breeding superorders (Parasitiformes and Acariformes), 125
rate was statistically significant for the air conditioners superfamilies and 540 families in their newly publi-
in different spaces (χ2=18.294, P<0.05). shed A Mannual of Acarology, in which Opilioacari-
da, Holothyrida, Ixodida and Mesostigmata are listed
under the Parasitiformes, and Trombidiformes and
Breeding density of Gohieria fusca in the filters of air Sarcoptiformes under the Acariformes. Additionally,
conditioning units in different spaces Oribatida was down-graded as suborder. Astigmata,
known as Acaridida, was also down-graded as Ori-
The 430 samples were measured 510.5g in total, in batida, which includes Desmonomatides (Desmono-
which 783 carpets of Gohieria fusca were detected. The mata) and Astigmatina (OConnor 2009). Ten super-
average breeding density was 1.53 heads/g(783/510.5). families and 76 families, including two major species
The breeding density of Gohieria fusca varied a lot in of Acaridia and Psorptidia, are listed under the As-
filter dusts from the air conditioning units in different tigmatina7.

Fig. 1.—Gohieria fusca (Adult).

810 Nutr Hosp. 2015;31(2):808-812 Chaopin Li et al.

037_8188 Gohieria fusca encontrado en los polvos de filtro de acondicionadores de aire en China.indd 810 07/01/15 16:16
 The flour mites are one of the most important mites fusca were affected by different food types, whereas,
that proliferate in the stored foods and other stored total immature stages lasted days for female and male.
products, and may eventually lead to degradation of This may be associated with more flour, flavorings and
the food products. Early research interests are pri- other food products accommodated in the refectory,
marily involved in the prevention and control of the for these stored products are excellent food origins for
flour mites8. Yet some studies in recent years found Gohieria fusca to proliferate in large quantity. Certain
that the grain or flour mites are strongly associated laboratory work showed that 25°C and 65%RH is fa-
with the human health, for exposure to the flour mites vorable to mites14, and air-conditioned room happened
may cause acarodermatitis(skin rash) or anaphylactic to provide such optimal environment. To make mat-
reaction, and worse enough, the flour mite can get ters worse, the filters of air conditioners in such warm
into the human body9, and result in other serious con- and moisture conditions can easily promote a shelter
ditions. for the mites to grow in. Contrarily, the marketplaces
Previous studies considered that the flour mites can be brighter and equipped with better ventilation
responsible for allergic diseases were inquilinous in and dust removal facilities besides rapid circulation of
the dusts of beds, clothing and floors or other arti- commodities. This is attributable to the lower breeding
cles10 However, recent work found that the flour mi- rate of Gohieria fusca found in such place. Although
tes may breed in the filters of an air conditioner11,12, the breeding density was highest in the filter dusts of
and this shall call our great attention. Now that this air conditioners in school cafeteria and lowest in those
species are health association, the current study was of marketplaces, yet the breeding density and breeding
focused on description and discussion of the Gohie- rate appear relative high for civil dwellings, which is
ria fusca found in the filter dusts from air conditio- consistent with the total breeding level and further pro-
ning units, with respect to the breeding rate, breeding ves that the breeding of flour mites is involved in en-
density and constituent ratio of the Gohieria fusca vironmental factors and the richness extent of organic
in its dissimilar life cycles. Some scholars described matters15.
the cross-reactivity of the allergen in Gohieria fus- We also conducted a statistics on the dissimilar de-
ca with the antigen of dust mites2, and mite-allergic velopment stages of Gohieria fusca, and found that the
individuals may be sensitized by various species. A constituent ratio was maximum for the eggs. Labora-
study done in the subtropical Canary Islands of Spain tory observation showed that only copulated female
through positive skin tests to several storage mite laid eggs, this is attributed to the fact that Gohieria
species showed that the sensitization rates was 28% fusca can lay eggs in large number at a time. The num-
for Goheria fusca13.Thus, we detected the Gohieria ber of protonymph and tritonymph appears lower; this
fusca in the filter dust of air conditioners that are wi- may be explained by that the Gohieria fusca creeping
dely involved in human living environment in order on the filters are easily blown off while the machine is
to generate further study in this field. As is known operating, since the mites are relatively small in those
to us all, when people clean their rooms, the dusts, two stages. And the immature stages of Gohieria fusca
together with the fiber shed from the clothing or body are short.
scurf would be stirred and remained drift in the in- Apart from the Gohieria fusca detected in the four
door air, and are eventually sucked into the internal places in our work, we also found other mite species
unit of the conditioner when it is in operation and in the filters of air conditioners. This is consistent
accumulated in its filters, where is an optimal envi- with the previous description on the mite species
ronment for the flour mites breeding, because of the found in living environment16. The flour mite, inclu-
filters being warm and moisture as well as a shady ding Gohieria fusca, is one of the important allergens
place with rich organic materials. Furthermore, when in human living rooms, and in early 1921, Kern for
the air conditioner is in repeated use, the mites and the first time described that the dust extracts gave
their discharges, secretions and lysates would be ven- positive cutaneous reactions in sensitive patients. In
tilated into the air indoors, thus causing allergic di- 1964, Voorhorst et al17 further reported that the dust
sorders such as asthma. Our results showed that the mites were the major allergic sources, and the mite
Gohieria fusca are densely proliferated in the filters body and its metabolites were potent indoor allergens
of air conditioning system, and their discharges, se- as well as the allergenic activity in house dusts was
cretions and lysates from their dead bodies shall be positively related to the density of mites in a spe-
one of the potent indoor allergens. cific space. Currently, the relationship between the
Our investigation also demonstrated that the bree- presence of flour mites in a room environment and
ding rate of Gohieria fusca varied a lot in filter dusts prevalence of allergic disorders, frequent and com-
from air conditioners in different places (c2=18.294, mon diseases in clinic, has been well recognized18. It
P<0.05). The maximal breeding rate was found in the was estimated that the over 10 million children were
filters of air conditioning units in school dining-rooms, affected by asthma, more than 50 million individuals
and minimal breeding rate was in marketplaces. The by allergic rhinitis and above 30 million by sensiti-
research show that developmental stages, fecundity, zation dermatitis in China19. Such serious condition
reproduction and life table parameters of Gohieria must be great concerns in our studies.

Gohieria fusca (Acari : Astigmata) Nutr Hosp. 2015;31(2):808-812 811

found in the filter dusts of air conditioners
in China

037_8188 Gohieria fusca encontrado en los polvos de filtro de acondicionadores de aire en China.indd 811 07/01/15 16:16
 Conclusions 4. Yuxia Z, Lifa X, Kexia W, Baoyu C, Qinggui Y, Chaopin L:
Investigation on the breeding of acaroid mites in the filters of
air conditioners. 2005; 22(6): 479. Journal of Environment and
Briefly, our investigation for the first time demons- Health 2005, 22(6):479.
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8. Huiyong W, Chaopin L: Acaroid mite infestation and preven-
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16(6):374-76.
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