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Personal exposure to house dust mite allergen in bed: nasal air sampling and reservoir allergen levels.
Gore RB, Hadi E, Craven M, Smillie F, O'Meara T, Tovey E, Woodcock A, Custovic A
Clin Exp Allergy. 2002;32( 6):856-9.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Assessment of personal exposure to dust mite allergen has relied on proxy measures.Only recently has a means to directly measure inhaled allergen particle number become available (the intra-nasal air sampler).OBJECTIVE: To quantify inspired dust mite group 1 and group 2 allergen-bearing particles in bed in undisturbed conditions prior to sleep by nasal air sampling and to investigate the relationship between inhaled particles and reservoir allergen levels.METHODS: Twelve volunteers wore nasal samplers in bed for 6 evenings, nose-breathing in undisturbed conditions.Allergen-bearing particles ('halos') were detected by immunostaining for Der p 1, Der p 2, or Der p 1 and Der p 2 together, and counted by light microscopy.Count data were square root transformed for analysis of variance.Mattress dust samples were assayed for Der p 1 and Der p 2 concentrations.RESULTS: Square root detransformed mean particle counts per 30-min sample were: Der p 1, 4.22; Der p 2, 5.9; Der p 1 + Der p 2, 4.87; and for all samples, 5.01, with no difference between the groups.With replicate samples, halo number correlated significantly with mattress allergen concentrations (Der p 1 r = 0.80, P < 0.01; Der p 2 r = 0.68, P < 0.02).CONCLUSION: Nasal air sampling can be used to quantify nocturnal Der p exposure in undisturbed conditions in an area with moderate exposure to mite allergen and can provide a direct measure of inhaled mite allergen.The choice of either Der p 1 or Der p 2 is appropriate for this purpose.
Keyword(s)
Adult; Beds; Comparative Study; Human; Pyroglyphidae; Reference Values; Sampling Studies; Statistics; analysis: Air Pollution, Indoor; analysis: Allergens; analysis: Antigens, Dermatophagoides; analysis: Environmental Exposure; blood supply: Nose; statistics & numerical data: Disease Reservoirs