Exposure to indoor allergens is associated with asthma, but there is no standardized sampling method for measuring allergens. We compared the association of measured allergen exposure and serum-specific IgE levels and the precision of three sampling methods (Cyclone, Mighty Mite, and Readivac II) to identify a standardized sampling method for indoor allergens. A random sample of 72 children, 5 ...

Old carpets may be reservoirs of dust, lead (Pb), and dust mite allergen. The purpose of this study was to determine if the dust, Pb, dust mite allergen, bacteria, and fungi on the surface of carpets could be reduced by 90% in 1 week with the use of a Hoover Self Propelled Vacuum with Embedded Dirt Finder (HSPF). A high-volume surface sampler (HVS3) was used to measure surface dust and pollutan...

Background House dust mite allergy is a frequent cause of asthma in children. Children with house dust mite allergy and asthma are especially sensitive to physical and chemical agents in the indoor air and as children spend a lot of time indoors, it seems reasonable to believe that improving the indoor environment will lead to an improvement in asthma disease. At present, there is no clear cons...

1. Wahn U, Lau S, Bergmann R et al. Indoor allergen exposure is a risk factor for sensitisation during the first three years of life. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997; 99: 763–769. 2. Platts-Mills TAE, et al. Indoor allergens and asthma: Report of the Third International Workshop. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997; 100: S1–S24. 3. van der Heide S, et al. Seasonal differences in airway hyperresponsiveness ...

Human rhinovirus is a key viral trigger for asthma exacerbations. To date, murine studies investigating rhinovirus-induced exacerbation of allergic airways disease have employed systemic sensitisation/intranasal challenge with ovalbumin. In this study, we combined human-rhinovirus infection with a clinically relevant mouse model of aero-allergen exposure using house-dust-mite in an attempt to m...

The clinical features of perennial asthmatic children with a skin or bronchial reaction to the house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) were compared with those of asthmatic children without mite sensitivity. Mite sensitive asthma was characterised by an early age of onset of symptoms, these being predominantly nocturnal. A history of wheezing precipitated by dust exposure, during vacuu...

1. Wahn U, Lau S, Bergmann R et al. Indoor allergen exposure is a risk factor for sensitisation during the first three years of life. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997; 99: 763–769. 2. Platts-Mills TAE, et al. Indoor allergens and asthma: Report of the Third International Workshop. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997; 100: S1–S24. 3. van der Heide S, et al. Seasonal differences in airway hyperresponsiveness ...

Serum levels of total IgE, specific IgE, IgG and IgG4 against house dust mite were measured in mite-sensitive asthma patients receiving immunotherapy with house dust. Serum levels of total IgE, mite specific IgE and IgG did not significantly change during the course of hyposensitization. Increased levels of mite specific IgG4 were observed in patients during immunotherapy. The increase in speci...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Mites are important sources of allergens in Galicia, Spain. The objective of this study were to identify the main mite species and to determine allergen levels in mattresses from different locations in Galicia. MATERIAL AND METHODS Dust samples were collected with a portable vacuum cleaner for 2 minutes from 2 m2 of the surface of the mattress used by mite allergic p...

Pyroglyphid mites are primarily associated with allergen exposure at home; hence the name house dust mites. However, we have found numerous studies reporting pyroglyhid mite levels in public and occupational settings. This review presents the findings of house dust mite allergens (family Pyroglyphidae, species Dermatophagoides) as potential work-related risk factors and proposes occupations at ...