Abstract
<p><strong>PURPOSE:</strong> To study associations between cat, dog and horse allergens in day care centres and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in serum, lung function (FEV<sub>1</sub>) and dyspnoea in day care centre staff. Totally 62 subjects, all females, from five Swedish day care centres participated (participation rate 90%).</p><p><strong>METHODS:</strong> Dust was collected by vacuum cleaning and Petri dish sampling and analysed for cat (Fel d 1), dog (Can f 1) and horse (Ecu cx) allergens by ELISA. Dyspnoea was measured on an analogue rating scale. FeNO, serum ECP and symptom ratings were log-transformed. Associations were analysed by linear mixed models, adjusting for personal and home environment factors.<em> </em></p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong><em> </em>Geometric mean (GM) value for allergens in vacuumed dust were 1199 ng/g for Fel d 1, 666 ng/g for Can f 1 and 478 U/g for Equ cx, respectively. GM value for allergens in Petri dish samples (ng/m<sup>2</sup> per day) was 29.8 for Fel d 1 and 9.1 for Can f 1, respectively. Cat allergen (Fel d 1) were positively associated with FeNO both in vacuumed dust (p=0.03) and in Petri dish samples (p=0.03). Dog allergen (Can f 1) in Petri dish samples was negatively associated with FeNO (p=0.02). Horse allergen (Equ cx) in vacuumed dust was negatively associated with FeNO (P=0.03).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Cat, dog and horse allergens were commonly found and cat allergen in day care centres can be a risk factor for lower airway inflammation, measured as FeNO, while dog and horse allergens were associated with lower FeNO.</p>
Highlights
Day care centres are important indoor environments for younger children but they can contain different types of environmental pollutants such as formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOC), airborne particles and bacterial compounds (Bröms et al, 2006)
Dog allergen (Can f 1) in Petri dish samples was negatively associated with fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) (p=0.02)
Horse allergen (Equ cx) in vacuumed dust was negatively associated with FeNO (P=0.03)
Summary
Day care centres are important indoor environments for younger children but they can contain different types of environmental pollutants such as formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOC), airborne particles and bacterial compounds (Bröms et al, 2006). Building dampness and indoor mould growth is common in Swedish day care centres and fungal DNA can be detected in the dust (Cai et al, 2009; Cai et al, 2011a). Dog and horse allergens are common in schools and day care centres and these allergens are transferred by clothes and hair from the home environment by furry pet keepers (Salo et al, 2011; Zahradnik & Raulf, 2014). Horse allergens has been detected Swedish day care centres (Cai et al, 2011a). There has been a focus on the health significance of cat allergen (Fel d 1) in the indoor environment (Kelly et al, 2012).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
