BACKGROUND: With 63% of US children under 5 years of age in regular child care, day-care facilities could be an important source of exposure to indoor allergens. OBJECTIVE: This study examined levels of 7 indoor allergens in 89 day-care facilities in 2 North Carolina counties. METHODS: At each facility, a questionnaire was administered, observations were made, and vacuumed dust samples were collected from carpeted and noncarpeted areas of one room. Allergen concentrations were measured with antibody-based ELISAs. RESULTS: Each allergen was detected in a majority of facilities (52% to 100%). Geometric mean concentrations were 5.19 mug/g for Alternaria alternata , 2.06 mug/g for Can f 1, 1.43 microg/g for Fel d 1, 0.21 U/g for Bla g 1, 0.20 microg/g for Der p 1, 0.10 microg/g for Der f 1, and 0.01 microg/g for Mus m 1. Concentrations for 5 of the 7 allergens were not statistically different from concentrations found in southern US homes sampled in the National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing. In rooms with carpet and hard-surfaced flooring, levels of A alternata , Can f 1, Der f 1, Der p 1, and Fel d 1 were statistically higher on carpet. CONCLUSIONS: In this survey of day-care facilities in North Carolina, detectable levels of indoor allergens were commonly found. For many young children and day-care staff, day-care facilities might be a source of clinically relevant exposures to indoor allergens.
BACKGROUND: With 63% of US children under 5 years of age in regular child care, day-care facilities could be an important source of exposure to indoor allergens. OBJECTIVE: This study examined levels of 7 indoor allergens in 89 day-care facilities in 2 North Carolina counties. METHODS: At each facility, a questionnaire was administered, observations were made, and vacuumed dust samples were collected from carpeted and noncarpeted areas of one room. Allergen concentrations were measured with antibody-based ELISAs. RESULTS: Each allergen was detected in a majority of facilities (52% to 100%). Geometric mean concentrations were 5.19 mug/g for Alternaria alternata , 2.06 mug/g for Can f 1, 1.43 microg/g for Fel d 1, 0.21 U/g for Bla g 1, 0.20 microg/g for Der p 1, 0.10 microg/g for Der f 1, and 0.01 microg/g for Mus m 1. Concentrations for 5 of the 7 allergens were not statistically different from concentrations found in southern US homes sampled in the National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing. In rooms with carpet and hard-surfaced flooring, levels of A alternata , Can f 1, Der f 1, Der p 1, and Fel d 1 were statistically higher on carpet. CONCLUSIONS: In this survey of day-care facilities in North Carolina, detectable levels of indoor allergens were commonly found. For many young children and day-care staff, day-care facilities might be a source of clinically relevant exposures to indoor allergens.
Authors: Maksymilian Chruszcz; Martin D Chapman; Tomasz Osinski; Robert Solberg; Matthew Demas; Przemyslaw J Porebski; Karolina A Majorek; Anna Pomés; Wladek Minor Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2012-06-02 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: William J Sheehan; Pitud A Rangsithienchai; Robert A Wood; Don Rivard; Sasawan Chinratanapisit; Matthew S Perzanowski; Ginger L Chew; James M Seltzer; Elizabeth C Matsui; Wanda Phipatanakul Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2010-03 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Jenni Tirkkonen; Martin Täubel; Maija-Riitta Hirvonen; Hanna Leppänen; William G Lindsley; Bean T Chen; Anne Hyvärinen; Kati Huttunen Journal: Inhal Toxicol Date: 2016-09 Impact factor: 2.724
Authors: Wanda Phipatanakul; Elizabeth Matsui; Jay Portnoy; P Brock Williams; Charles Barnes; Kevin Kennedy; David Bernstein; Joann Blessing-Moore; Linda Cox; David Khan; David Lang; Richard Nicklas; John Oppenheimer; Christopher Randolph; Diane Schuller; Sheldon Spector; Stephen A Tilles; Dana Wallace; James Sublett; Jonathan Bernstein; Carl Grimes; J David Miller; James Seltzer Journal: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol Date: 2012-12 Impact factor: 6.347