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PubMed · 10051723

Do mite avoidance measures affect mite and cat airborne allergens?

F Carswell·J Oliver·J Weeks
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Effective mite allergen avoidance measures are presumed to reduce airborne allergens yet the quantity in the air is rarely measured. OBJECTIVE: To monitor airborne allergen during a placebo-controlled mite allergen avoidance study. METHODS: Bedrooms of 56 atopic asthmatic children were randomly allocated to hot washing and encasing covers + acaricide (active regime) or placebo treatment. Dust was collected from the mattress, bedding and carpets; airborne allergen was measured using Casella samplers and dust settling in open Petri dishes. Der p 1, Der p 2 and Fel d 1 were measured. RESULTS: After 24 weeks of mite allergen avoidance the Casella air-samplers collected Der p 1 less frequently in active than placebo-treated bedrooms (0 vs. 29%, P<0.05) and Petri dishes in the active group collected less than baseline (0.2 vs. 0.6 ng/day P<0.05). Homes without cats had less cat allergen than cat-owning homes and when actively treated for 24 weeks showed a greater reduction (P = 0.03) in mattress cat allergen than the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Encasing covers and hot washing of bed linen reduced mite aeroallergen (and mattress cat allergen in the absence of cats). This could mean dual benefits to a patient sensitive to both mite and cat.

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Air PollutantsAir Pollution, IndoorAllergensAnimalsAntigens, DermatophagoidesAsthmaBedding and LinensCatsChildDouble-Blind MethodGlycoproteinsHousingHumansMitesClinical TrialJournal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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F Carswell, J Oliver, J Weeks. 1999. Do mite avoidance measures affect mite and cat airborne allergens?. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2222.1999.00499.x

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