STUDY OF SOME MITES FROM MAHARASHTRA

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED

TO
SAVITRIBAI PHULE PUNE UNIVERSITY, PUNE.
SUBMITTED BY
MR. SAMEER SADASHIV JADHAV
( M.Sc., NET-JRF )

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

DR. LAXMAN SHRIDHAR MATKAR
PRINCIPAL & HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
NEW ARTS, COMMERCE AND SCIENCE COLLEGE,
SHEVGAON, DIST. AHMEDNAGAR – 414502.

RESEARCH CENTER
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
NEW ARTS, COMMERCE AND SCIENCE COLLEGE,
AHMEDNAGAR – 414001 (M.S.)
7th APRIL 2018.
 INTRODUCTION
• More importance has been given to visible microbes, plants & animals but less to
microbial organisms like mites.

• Less attendance has given to mites.

• Mites causes allergy in animals and human beings.

• Mites act as scavengers.

• So also they infest birds like poultry birds, pigeon, fowls etc. and migratory birds.

• Study of mites as bioresource for conservation and sustainable development of an

ecosystem.

• Mites are one of the most potential allergenic invertebrates.

• House Dust Mites (HDM) - responsible for many asthmatic problems in the world.

• Hence the study of mites has been selected for this research
 SPECIES REPORTED

Previously reported + Newly added Total

World (Spiekma 1997) 36+8 (Jogdand S.B 2016). 44

India (Modak et al 1991) 29+8 (Jogdand S.B 2016). 37
Maharashtra (Jogdand 2007) 20+8(Jogdand S.B 2016). 28
Karnataka(Krishna Rao et al., 23 23
1981)

Kerala (Haq and Ramani 2010) 17 17

•Spieksma et.al. (1997) from Netherlands carried prominent work on HDM & allergy
and prepared pictorial keys for the identification of HDM.
• Some bird mites are reported & causes irritation and itching in birds.
• Literature review reveled that HDM are more causative for allergy.
 RATIONALE
• To study mites and to find incidences of new mites (if any).
• To step up the study which is lagging behind due to its microscopic size and
sporadic nature.
• They are potential allergen and they cause severe respiratory problems in man
leading to asthma, copra itch, and skin diseases like scabies.
• Study of mites as metropolitan bioresource has acquired great attention of
researchers.
 SIGNIFICANCE
•The study of mites as a bioresource for conservation and sustainable
development of an ecosystem.
•Although some mites have been found to cause allergy in sensitive
victims and have been proved to be potential allergen, but this
hetrogenous assemblage of different organisms have been proved to
perform as important role as following (Jogdand S.B 2007)
•They play important role of increasing soil fertility, biological control of
weeds.
•Many house dust mites like Dermatophagooides ptetonyssinus, D.
farina etc useful in preparing antigen and medicines in human allergy for
immunotherapy.
•Mites act as predators to control some insects.
•Information of species diversity of each mite species which is varied
considerably on different species of birds.
•Almost all birds including domestic fowls are infested by more than one
species of mites i.e. multiple infestation of mites.
•The mites get migrated from one country to other along with migratory birds.
 A SURVEY OF WORK DONE IN THE RESEARCH AREA
 Review of literature – In maharashtra Jogdand and
Bansod did work on taxonomy and distribution of mites. In
India (Modak et al 1991) did a work on house dust mites.
Where as work at local level in Karnataka (Krishna Rao et
al., 1981), Kerala (Haq and Ramani 2010)
To refer earlier research on mites. (International and
national research journals, papers, desertation, thesis, report
online papers etc).
 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
• Collection of mites by mechanical and dynamic method.
•To study the habits, life cycle, behavioral aspects and morphometry of
mites.
• Taxonomic study of mites by clearing and mouting.
•To study the host specificity of mites.
•To study and identify the habitat utilization by mites ( from urban and
rural area ).
•To study the population dynamics of mites by floatation techniques .
•To prepare Camera Lucida drawing or Scanning Electron Micrograph
(SEM) of mites.
• Impact of environmental factors(temp, humidity & light) on
population density of mites.
•To conduct the management program for minimizing the HDM
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
• Collection methods of HDM - Floor, Bed, Sofa set, Mattress, and Cotton tape
cot.
• Techniques used - dust will be collected manually by sweeping, brushing, dusting
and shaking the different articles.
• Examination of house dust samples:
1. Sieving through 300 micron mesh special brass sieve of 6” diameter.
2. Sieved house dust sample will be placed in petridish for examination.
3. Observation of dust under stereoscopic microscope.
• Isolation of mites:
Mites will be isolated from the house dust samples manually with the camel
brush, moistened to a fine tip or with a needle.
•House dust mite analysis: Qualitative method
Collection of house dust samples by sweeping, brushing or vacuum cleaner method.
Floor dust sample or
Bed dust sample or
Carpet (Mattress) Dust or any dust sample

Processing of dust samples-sieving through 300 micron mesh sieve,

Weighing- one gm dust.

Isolation of mites by pick up method.

Killing and clearing of mites by 50% lactic acid for 24-72 hrs.

Preparation of slides in glycerin jelly.

Identification using standard keys, references, slides and photos.

Classification of House Dust Mites

•House dust mite analysis: Quantitative method.

By floatation techniques from one gm. Sieved dust (Spieksma & Boezeman 1967)
1 gm sieved dust + 5 ml. kerosene

Centrifuge at 2000 rpm for 10 min

Residue Supernatant with mite.

Centrifuge 3 times by using Mixture of
Kerosene: CCl4 in The following proportion.

Filter through filter paper

Counting of mites

3:5 Supernatant Filter and count the mites

1:3 Supernatant Filter and count the mites

CCl4 Supernatant Filter and count the mites

Total count of mites / gm of dust

Identification and classification of HDM

 METHODS FOR COLLECTION OF BIRD MITES
A. Mechanical method
a) Direct observation
b) Brushing method
c) Washing method
d) Wet cloth method
B. Dynamic method
a) Simple funnel method
• Clearing and mounting
Isolated mites will be made clear by dipping them in 50% lactic acid for 3-5
days or at least 24 hours depending upon thickness of cuticle. Then they will be
mounted at the center of a clean slide in a drop of melted glycerin jelly. Slide will
be dried at N.T.P and will preserve as permanent slides.
 EXPECTED OUTCOMES

 Diversity of mites in study area.

 Preparation of Pictorial keys (if necessary).
 Habit and Habitat, life cycles, behavior and
morphometry of the mites.
 Improvement of human health by correlating
HDM and allergy.
 Conservation of environmental balance.
 PLAN OF THE RESEARCH WORK
( I Year )

0-6 1. Collection of literature.

months 2. Review of literature.
3. Identification of sampling sites.
4. Preparation of sampling design.
6-12 1. Collection of house dust mites (HDM) and other
months mites.
2. Preservation of house dust mites and preparation of
permanent slides.
3. Mite Sample collection from migratory and other birds.
4. Preservation of bird mites and preparation of
 PLAN OF THE RESEARCH WORK
( II Year )
12-18 1. Preparation of Camera Lucida drawing and Scanning Electron
Micrograph (SEM) of mites (if required).
months
2. Identification of mites with the help of standard keys, pictorial and
photographic key.
3. Photography of mites.
4. Paper presentation in national and international conferences.
5. Paper publication.

18-24 1. Identify the resources and their occurrence, qualitative and

months quantitative estimation.

2. To study the seasonal variations and population dynamics.
3. Observation and tabulation of data.
4. Paper presentation in national and international conferences and
publication.
 PLAN OF THE RESEARCH WORK
( III Year )
24-30 1. Results and analysis of observations.
months 2. Data preparation, interpritration and calculations.
3. Histograms and line graphs.
4. Interpretation
5. Conclusion.
6. Summery.
30-36 1. Rough writing of the thesis.
months 2. To check thesis from university ( plagiarism )
3. Final writing of the thesis.
4. Submission of the thesis.
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