Diagnosis of house dust mite allergy.

The medical history may be conclusively descriptive in house dust mite allergy in patients with asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis. Often the patients have both diseases. Sensibilization to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae can be demonstrated by skin prick testing. If the diagnosis is still doubtful, the next step will be to perform a RAST test or a histamine release test. It is also important to investigate for mite exposure at the patient's residence, if the patient is suspected to be mite-allergic. Allergen challenge test in the shock organ should be performed, if hyposensitization is considered, or if, in a few cases, the mite diagnosis is still doubtful.