Mites On Hissing Cockroach May Benefit Humans With Allergies
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 - 12:29
in Health & Medicine
Tiny mites living on the surface of Madagascar hissing cockroaches help decrease the presence of a variety of molds on the cockroaches' bodies, potentially reducing allergic responses among humans who handle the popular insects, according to new research. Scientists cultured and identified fungi on the cockroaches' body surfaces with and without mites and discovered that the presence of these mites reduced the molds by at least 50 percent.