House dust mites and storage mites are grouped together under the name "domestic mites". As a result, mites can trigger allergic diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract as well as cross-reactions to other allergens. Sensitization to house mites is widespread in the German population. Around eleven million adults in Germany are sensitized (15.9%). Men are affected more often than women, and sensitization occurs more frequently in large cities and in those with a higher socioeconomic status. Sensitizations are less common in old age. As clinically silent sensitizations, they can lead to diagnostic problems, which is the case with about 40% of sensitizations.
