Laboratory contact and topical evaluations of household disinfectants against house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari: Pyroglyphidae).

The contact and topical activity of two household disinfectants containing chloroxylenol and benzyl chlorophenol against, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae mites were evaluated in the laboratory. For contact activity, 30 adult mites were placed for 24 hrs on Whatman No. 1 filter paper impregnated with disinfectant. For topical activity, each disinfectant was directly applied to individual body of all 30 dust mites and observed for 24hrs. All treatments were replicated 12 times. Chloroxylenol disinfectant was found to be more effective compared to benzyl chlorophenol disinfectant in killing pyroglyphid mites.