Thepresent
study was conducted on eight schools representing four different districts in
Cairo Governorate from December 2006 till November 2007. The total annual
number of school dust mites collected was relatively low (66 individuals). Shobera
Al-khama schools embraced the highest population mite density (65.15%) followed
by Al- Abassia (16.16%), Al-Salam city (9.09%) and Nasr city recorded the
lowest population density (7.58%). The most abundant family collected was
Pyroglyphidae representing 27.27% of the total number distributed between two
different species of the Genus Dermatophagoides (D.pteronyssinus
and D. farinae). This followed by families Cheyletidae and
Dermanyssidae, each comprises 25.75% of the total with a single species for
each; Cheyletus malccensis and Dermanyssus sp., respectively.
Family Acaridae was represented by (21.21% of the total) and came later in abundance.
The average number /5 gm. dust ranged between only one individual during April
and July and 20 individuals during November, however completely absent during
March and September. dermanyssids and acarids were present in seven months, cheyletids
in six months and pyroglyphids in five months. All mite species were recorded
with relatively higher rate during cold months reaching its maximum in January
for Pyroglyphidae and Acaridae and during October and November for Cheyletidae
and Dermanyssidae. The lower rate of these mites obtained during hot months.
These results indicate that the lower the temperature, the higher population
density of school dust mites.