The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 113, Issue 1 , Pages 109-114, January 2004

Abatement of cockroach allergens (Bla g 1 and Bla g 2) in low-income, urban housing:☆

Month 12 continuation results

  • Samuel J Arbes, Jr, DDS, MPH, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
    • ,
  • Michelle Sever, BS

      Affiliations

    • Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
    • ,
  • Jigna Mehta, BA

      Affiliations

    • Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
    • ,
  • J.Chad Gore, MS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
    • ,
  • Coby Schal, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
    • ,
  • Ben Vaughn, MS

      Affiliations

    • Rho, Inc, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
    • ,
  • Herman Mitchell, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Rho, Inc, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
    • ,
  • Darryl C Zeldin, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Darryl C. Zeldin, MD, NIEHS/NIH, PO Box 12233, MD D2-01, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Received 19 August 2003; received in revised form 10 October 2003; accepted 13 October 2003.

Abstract 

Background

In the first 6 months of this previously published, randomized trial, the combined intervention of occupant education, insecticide bait application, and professional cleaning significantly reduced cockroach numbers and Bla g 1 allergen levels in inner-city homes.

Objective

This continuation study investigated whether the cockroach allergen reductions achieved by month 6 could be maintained through month 12 with insecticide application alone.

Methods

Because we had agreed to place insecticide bait in control homes at the conclusion of the first study, intervention and control homes were treated with insecticide bait at months 6 and 9. No other intervention was conducted in either arm. Vacuumed dust and swab samples were collected at month 12. Twenty-one of the 31 original homes completed the 12-month study.

Results

Among the original intervention homes, Bla g 1 concentrations remained essentially unchanged from months 6 to 12. However, among the crossed-over control homes, the geometric mean Bla g 1 concentrations (Units per gram of dust) decreased from 287 to 14.4 for kitchen floors (95% reduction), from 28.8 to 5.6 for living room floors/sofas (81% reduction), from 26.7 to 4.7 for bedroom floors (82% reduction), and from 7.2 to 2.4 for beds (67% reduction). At month 12, Bla g 1 concentrations did not significantly differ between intervention and crossed-over control homes (P > .64 at each location). Similar results were seen for the allergen Bla g 2.

Conclusions

Reductions in cockroach allergen concentrations achieved through the combined intervention of occupant education, insecticide application, and professional cleaning can be maintained with continued cockroach control. Surprisingly, and in contrast to other studies, insecticide application alone significantly lowered allergen concentrations in the crossed-over control homes. This unexpected result is being tested further in another randomized trial.

Keywords:  Cockroaches, cockroach allergen, Bla g 1, Bla g 2, indoor allergens, intervention trial

Abbreviations:  NCICAS, National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study

 

☆ Supported by the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research and the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities. The Blanton J. Whitmore Endowment provided partial support for the NCSU team.

PII: S0091-6749(03)02484-9

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2003.10.042

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 113, Issue 1 , Pages 109-114, January 2004

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