Bionomics and physiology of stored product mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridida)

The infestation of foodstuffs by mites is connected to health risks and economic losses. Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank, 1781) is a cosmopolitan generalist feeder that prefers foodstuffs of high-fat and high-protein content. The stored product mite T. putrescentiae is an emerging and predominant pest of dry dog food. It is an emerging source of allergens in stored products and homes. The results of this study have important implications for predictive models of stored-product mite populations in dry dog food. High-fat and -protein food accelerated T. putrescentiae population growth compared with the high-carbohydrate diet. The results increase the medical importance of the mite allergens detected in the feces. The cocktail of allergens, i.e. feces covering chitin, mite allergens and bacterial toxins, represent high risks for the mammalian immune system. The association of the mite with Bacillus cereus is to the medical importance