House dust mites are microarthropods that occur in most human homes in humid geographical areas, and these organisms are known to be a major cause of house dust allergy. The mites live in the dust in mattresses, carpets and upholstered furniture where they feed on shed skin scales.  Storage mites occur in stored grains and food made from grains, barn dust, and livestock feed and they may occur in homes too.  Like house dust mites, storage mites also sensitize and induce allergic reactions in humans.  Our research concentrates on characterization of the response of human skin cells to molecules from house dust and storage mites and the allergic response in dust sensitive individuals. Also, various aspects of the mite biology and ecology that allows these organisms to survive in the microenvironment in homes are being investigated.

Scabies is an important mite-caused, widespread, highly contagious skin disease of humans and other mammals. Little is known about the biology of the mite and the host-parasite interactions. We are investigating the host inflammatory and immune response mechanisms in cells of the skin to scabies mites and how the parasite modulates these responses.  Our goal is to develop a better understanding of the host-parasite relationship that will lead to development of novel strategies for prevention, control and treatment of this disease.

Representative Publications

Elder BL, Morgan MS, Arlian LG.  2013. Effects of stored product mite extracts on human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. J Med Entomol  50(1) (in press).

Yella L, Morgan MS, Arlian LG. 2012.  Population growth and allergen accumulation of Dermatophagoides farinae cultured at 20 and 25°C.  Exp Appl Acarol (on line DOI 10.11007/s10493-012-9626-x).

Avula-Poola S, Morgan MS, Arlian LG. 2012. Diet influences growth rates and allergen and endotoxins contents of cultured Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus house dust mites.  Int Arch Allergy Immunol 159:226-234.

Arlian LG, Morgan MS. 2011.  Immunomodulation of skin cytokine secretion by house dust mites.  Int Arch Allergy Immunol 156:171-178.

Mounsey K, Pasay CJ, Arlian LG, Morgan MS, Holt DC, Currie BJ.  2010.  Increased transcription of glutathione S-transferase in acaricide exposed scabies mites. Parasites & Vectors3:1-9

Pasay CJ, Mounsey K, Stevenson G, Davis R, Arlian LG, Morgan MS, Vyszenski-Moher DL, Andrews K. McCarthy.  2010. Acaricidal activity of eugenol based compounds against scabies mites.  PLoS ONE (e12079),  5(8):1-9, doi10.1371.

Morgan MS, Arlian LG.  2010.  Response of human skin equivalents to Sarcoptes scabiei.  J Med Entomol  47:877-883.

Arlian LG. 2009.  Chiggers and Other Disease-Causing Mites. In: Encyclopedia of Insects, 2nd edition, VH Resh, R Carde, (Eds.), Academic Press. p 152-156

Mullins JS, Arlian LG. Morgan MS. 2009. Extracts of Sarcoptes scabiei De Greer down-modulate secretion of IL-8 by skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts and of GM-CSF by fibroblasts in the presence of proinflammatory cytokines. J Med Entomol. 46:845-851.

Bernstein J, Morgan MS, Ghosh D, Arlian LG.  2009.  Respiratory sensitization of a worker to the Warehouse beetle. Trogoderma variabile: an index case report.  J Allergy Clin Immunol 123:1413-1416.

Arlian LG, Elder BL, Morgan MS. 2009.  House dust mite extracts activate cultured human dermal endothelial cells to express adhesion molecules and secrete cytokines.  J Med Entomol 46:595-604.

Elder BL, Arlian LG, Morgan MS. 2009.  Modulation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells by Sarcoptes scabiei in combination with proinflammatory cytokines, histamine, and lipid-derived biologic mediators. Cytokine 47:103-111.

Arlian LG, Morgan MS, Peterson 2008.  House dust and stored mite extracts influence skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts function. Int Arch Allergy and Immunol 145:33-42.

Arlian LG, Morgan MS, Paul CP.  2006.  Evidence that scabies mites (Acarina: Sarcoptidae) influence production of Interleukin-10 and the function of T-regulatory cells (Tr1) in humans.  J Med Entomol 43: 283-287.

Elder BL, Arlian LG, Morgan MS. 2006.  Sarcoptes scabiei (Acari: Sarcoptidae) mite extract modulates expression of cytokines and adhesion molecules by human dermal microvascular endothelial cells.  J Med Entomol 43:910-915.