Colony of 'home dust mite' invade patient's ear

A micro organism called 'home dust mite' or Dermatophagoides Pteroyssimus was found in its hundreds in the ear of a patient by Nagoda General Hospital ENT Clinic doctors recently.

Doctors who found some unnatural dust particles in the patient's ear, had sent a sample of it to the MRI for testing and the report had said it was a colony of home dust mite which had invaded the patient's ear.

A Health Ministry press release said this is the first time this type of micro organism had been detected in a human organ in Sri Lanka. Although this type of organism would not cause any disease, the excreta of the organism can cause asthma, the release said.

It said there is the danger of the organism piercing the ear drum and invading the brain cells.

Uncleanliness on the part of people could also invite such micro organisms.

However, the MRI has decided to conduct more tests on patients to unravel more details about this micro organism, the release said.