Michelle C Maciag1, William J Sheehan2, Lisa M Bartnikas3, Peggy S Lai4, Carter R Petty5, Stephanie Filep6, Martin D Chapman6, Wanda Phipatanakul7. 1. Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Asthma & Allergy Affiliates, Salem, Mass. 2. Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC. 3. Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. 4. Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass. 5. Biostatistics and Research Design Core, Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass. 6. Indoor Biotechnologies, Charlottesville, Va. 7. Division of Allergy and Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: Wanda.Phipatanakul@childrens.harvard.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Little is known about environmental food allergen exposure on school surfaces. OBJECTIVE: To compare the distribution of major food allergens in floor dust and table wipe samples from elementary schools and dust samples from students' homes. METHODS: In this substudy of the School Inner-City Asthma Study-II, 103 table wipe samples and 98 floor dust samples from cafeterias and classrooms in 18 elementary schools were analyzed for milk, peanut, cashew, hazelnut, and egg using a multiplex array. Home kitchen floor and bed dust samples from 90 students were also analyzed. RESULTS: Food allergens were detectable in schools, but at significantly lower levels than in homes (P < .001). In schools, milk and peanut were detected in all table wipe samples; milk and egg were detected in all floor dust samples. Cafeteria table wipe samples contained significantly higher levels of milk, peanut, hazelnut, and egg, compared with classrooms. Cafeteria floor dust samples contained higher levels milk than classrooms. Peanut-restrictive policies did not consistently reduce environmental peanut exposure in schools. Peanut allergen was lower in dust from homes of students with peanut allergy (n = 5) compared with those without peanut allergy (n = 85) (P < .001). Reassuringly, peanut allergen in the schools of peanut-allergic students was not significantly different than in their homes. CONCLUSION: Food allergens were readily detectable on tables and floors in elementary schools, but at levels lower than in students' homes. For peanut-allergic students, the levels of detectable peanut in their schools were not higher than their homes. The low levels of detectable food allergens in school environments are unlikely to result in severe allergic reactions.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about environmental food allergen exposure on school surfaces. OBJECTIVE: To compare the distribution of major food allergens in floor dust and table wipe samples from elementary schools and dust samples from students' homes. METHODS: In this substudy of the School Inner-City Asthma Study-II, 103 table wipe samples and 98 floor dust samples from cafeterias and classrooms in 18 elementary schools were analyzed for milk, peanut, cashew, hazelnut, and egg using a multiplex array. Home kitchen floor and bed dust samples from 90 students were also analyzed. RESULTS: Food allergens were detectable in schools, but at significantly lower levels than in homes (P < .001). In schools, milk and peanut were detected in all table wipe samples; milk and egg were detected in all floor dust samples. Cafeteria table wipe samples contained significantly higher levels of milk, peanut, hazelnut, and egg, compared with classrooms. Cafeteria floor dust samples contained higher levels milk than classrooms. Peanut-restrictive policies did not consistently reduce environmental peanut exposure in schools. Peanut allergen was lower in dust from homes of students with peanut allergy (n = 5) compared with those without peanut allergy (n = 85) (P < .001). Reassuringly, peanut allergen in the schools of peanut-allergic students was not significantly different than in their homes. CONCLUSION: Food allergens were readily detectable on tables and floors in elementary schools, but at levels lower than in students' homes. For peanut-allergic students, the levels of detectable peanut in their schools were not higher than their homes. The low levels of detectable food allergens in school environments are unlikely to result in severe allergic reactions.
Authors: J W Yunginger; K G Sweeney; W Q Sturner; L A Giannandrea; J D Teigland; M Bray; P A Benson; J A York; L Biedrzycki; D L Squillace Journal: JAMA Date: 1988-09-09 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Lisa M Bartnikas; Michael F Gurish; Oliver T Burton; Sabine Leisten; Erin Janssen; Hans C Oettgen; Jacqueline Beaupré; Christopher N Lewis; K Frank Austen; Stephanie Schulte; Jason L Hornick; Raif S Geha; Michiko K Oyoshi Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2013-02 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Susan Waserman; Heather Cruickshank; Kyla J Hildebrand; Douglas Mack; Laura Bantock; Theresa Bingemann; Derek K Chu; Carlos Cuello-Garcia; Motohiro Ebisawa; David Fahmy; David M Fleischer; Lisa Galloway; Greg Gartrell; Matthew Greenhawt; Nicola Hamilton; Jonathan Hourihane; Michael Langlois; Richard Loh; Antonella Muraro; Lana Rosenfield; Sally Schoessler; Mimi L K Tang; Brenda Weitzner; Julie Wang; Jan L Brozek Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2021-05 Impact factor: 10.793
Authors: Helen A Brough; Andrew H Liu; Scott Sicherer; Kerry Makinson; Abdel Douiri; Sara J Brown; Alick C Stephens; W H Irwin McLean; Victor Turcanu; Robert A Wood; Stacie M Jones; Wesley Burks; Peter Dawson; Donald Stablein; Hugh Sampson; Gideon Lack Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2014-11-18 Impact factor: 10.793