The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 113, Issue 6 , Pages 1172-1177 , June 2004

Airborne cat allergen reduction in classrooms that use special school clothing or ban pet ownership

  • Anne-Sophie Karlsson, MSc

      Affiliations

    • From Lung and Allergy Research, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Anne-Sophie Karlsson, MSc, Lung and Allergy Research, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 287, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
    • ,
  • Berith Andersson, SRN

      Affiliations

    • Paediatric Clinic, Falu Hospital, Falun
    • ,
  • Anne Renström, PhD

      Affiliations

    • From Lung and Allergy Research, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
    • ,
  • Jan Svedmyr, MD

      Affiliations

    • Paediatric Clinic, Falu Hospital, Falun
    • ,
  • Kjell Larsson, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • From Lung and Allergy Research, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
    • ,
  • Magnus P. Borres, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Paediatric Clinic, Falu Hospital, Falun
    • Pharmacia Diagnostics, Uppsala, Sweden

Received 6 November 2003 ,Revised 19 December 2003 ,Accepted 31 December 2003.

References 

  1. Munir A, Einarsson R, Schou C, Dreborg S. Allergens in school dust, (I: the amount of the major cat (Fel d 1) and dog (Can f 1) allergens in dust from Swedish schools is high enough to probably cause perennial symptoms in most children with asthma who are sensitized to cat and dog). J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1993;91:1067–1074
  2. Custovic A, Taggart SCO, Woodcock A. House dust mite and cat allergen in different indoor environments. Clin Exp Allergy. 1994;24:1164–1168
  3. Perzanowski M, Rönmark E, Nold B, Lundbäck B, Platts-Mills T. Relevance of allergens from cats and dogs to asthma in the northernmost province of Sweden: schools as a major site of exposure. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999;103:1018–1024
  4. Almqvist C, Larsson P, Egmar A-C, Hedrén M, Malmberg P, Wickman M. School as a risk environment for children allergic to cats and a site for transfer of cat allergen to homes. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1999;103:1012–1017
  5. De Lucca S, O'Meara T, Tovey E. Exposure to mite and cat allergens on a range of clothing items at home and the transfer of cat allergen in the workplace. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2000;106:874–879
  6. Enberg R, Shamie S, McCullough J, Ownby D. Ubiquitous presence of cat allergen in cat-free buildings: probable dispersal from human clothing. Ann Allergy. 1993;70:471–474
  7. Karlsson A-S, Hedrén M, Almqvist C, Larsson K, Renström A. Evaluation of petri dish sampling for assessment of cat allergen in airborne dust. Allergy. 2002;57:164–168
  8. Almqvist C, Wickman M, Perfetti L, Bergling N, Renström A, Hedrén M, et al. Worsening of asthma in children allergic to cats, after indirect exposure to cat at school. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2001;163:694–698
  9. Ritz B, Hoelscher B, Frye C, Meyer I, Heinrich J. Allergic sensitization owing to “second-hand” cat exposure in schools. Allergy. 2002;57:357–361
  10. Heissenhuber A, Heinrich J, Fahlbusch B, Borte M, Wichmann HE, Bolte G. Health impacts of second-hand exposure to cat allergen Fel d 1 in infants. Allergy. 2003;58:154–157
  11. Borres MP, Abrahamsson G, Andersson B, Brakenhielm G, Fabricius T, Haag C, et al. Asthma and allergies at school—a Swedish national position paper. Allergy. 2002;57:454–457
  12. Karlsson A-S, Renström A, Hedrén M, Larsson K. Allergen avoidance does not alter airborne cat allergen levels in classrooms. Allergy. In press.
  13. Wickman M, Egmar A-C, Emenius G, Almqvist C, Berglind N, Larsson P, et al. Fel d 1 and Can f 1 in settled dust and airborne Fel d 1 in allergen avoidance day-care centres for atopic children in relation to number of pet-owners, ventilation and general cleaning. Clin Exp Allergy. 1999;29:626–632
  14. Oliver J, Birmingham K, Crewes A, Weeks J, Carswell F. Allergen levels in airborne and surface dust. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 1995;107:452–453
  15. Karlsson A-S, Renström A, Hedrén M, Larsson K. Comparison of four allergen-sampling methods in conventional and allergy prevention classrooms. Clin Exp Allergy. 2002;32:1776–1781
  16. Asher M, Keil U, Anderson H, Beasly R, Crane J, Martinez F, et al. International study of asthma and allergies in childhood (ISAAC): rationale and methods. Eur Respir J. 1995;8:483–491
  17. Mitakakis T, Tovey E, Xuan W, Marks G. Personal exposure to allergenic pollen and mould spores in inland New South Wales, Australia. Clin Exp Allergy. 2000;30:1733–1739
  18. Reisman RE. Do air cleaners make a difference in treating allergic disease in homes?. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2001;87:41–43
  19. Hesselmar B, Åberg N, Åberg B, Eriksson B, Bjorksten B. Does early exposure to cat or dog protect against later allergy development?. Clin Exp Allergy. 1999;29:611–617
  20. Perzanowski M, Rönmark E, Platts-Mills T, Lundbäck B. Effect of cat and dog ownership on sensitization and development of asthma among preteenage children. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002;166:696–702

 Supported by the Majblomman Foundation and the Konsul Th C Bergh Foundation.

PII: S0091-6749(04)00925-X

doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2003.12.590

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 113, Issue 6 , Pages 1172-1177 , June 2004

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