Animal allergens and their presence in the environment
Exposure to animal allergens is a major risk factor for sensitization and allergic diseases. Besides mites and cockroaches, the most important animal allergens are derived from mammals. Cat and dog allergies affect the general population; whereas, allergies to rodents or cattle is an occupational pr...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2014-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fimmu.2014.00076/full |
| _version_ | 1828337950560092160 |
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| author | Eva eZahradnik Monika eRaulf |
| author_facet | Eva eZahradnik Monika eRaulf |
| author_sort | Eva eZahradnik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exposure to animal allergens is a major risk factor for sensitization and allergic diseases. Besides mites and cockroaches, the most important animal allergens are derived from mammals. Cat and dog allergies affect the general population; whereas, allergies to rodents or cattle is an occupational problem. Exposure to animal allergens is not limited to direct contact to animals. Based on their aerodynamic properties, mammalian allergens easily become airborne, attach to clothing and hair, and can be spread from one environment to another. For example, the major cat allergen Fel d 1 was frequently found in homes without pets and in public buildings, including schools, day care centers and hospitals. Allergen concentrations in a particular environment showed high variability depending on numerous factors.<br/>Assessment of allergen exposure levels is a stepwise process that involves dust collection, allergen quantification and data analysis. Whereas a number of different dust sampling strategies are used, ELISA assays have prevailed in the last years as the standard technique for quantification of allergen concentrations. This review focuses on allergens arising from domestic, farm and laboratory animals and describes the ubiquity of mammalian allergens in the human environment. It includes an overview of exposure assessment studies carried out in different indoor settings (homes, schools, workplaces) using numerous sampling and analytical methods and summarizes significant factors influencing exposure levels. However, methodological differences among studies have contributed to the variability of the findings and make comparisons between studies difficult. Therefore, a general standardization of methods is needed and recommended.<br/> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:21:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14a917ed2c8344609fecae507a32e49b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:21:45Z |
| publishDate | 2014-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj.art-14a917ed2c8344609fecae507a32e49b2022-12-22T02:27:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242014-03-01510.3389/fimmu.2014.0007674520Animal allergens and their presence in the environmentEva eZahradnik0Monika eRaulf1Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance; Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), GermanyInstitute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance; Institute of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (IPA), GermanyExposure to animal allergens is a major risk factor for sensitization and allergic diseases. Besides mites and cockroaches, the most important animal allergens are derived from mammals. Cat and dog allergies affect the general population; whereas, allergies to rodents or cattle is an occupational problem. Exposure to animal allergens is not limited to direct contact to animals. Based on their aerodynamic properties, mammalian allergens easily become airborne, attach to clothing and hair, and can be spread from one environment to another. For example, the major cat allergen Fel d 1 was frequently found in homes without pets and in public buildings, including schools, day care centers and hospitals. Allergen concentrations in a particular environment showed high variability depending on numerous factors.<br/>Assessment of allergen exposure levels is a stepwise process that involves dust collection, allergen quantification and data analysis. Whereas a number of different dust sampling strategies are used, ELISA assays have prevailed in the last years as the standard technique for quantification of allergen concentrations. This review focuses on allergens arising from domestic, farm and laboratory animals and describes the ubiquity of mammalian allergens in the human environment. It includes an overview of exposure assessment studies carried out in different indoor settings (homes, schools, workplaces) using numerous sampling and analytical methods and summarizes significant factors influencing exposure levels. However, methodological differences among studies have contributed to the variability of the findings and make comparisons between studies difficult. Therefore, a general standardization of methods is needed and recommended.<br/>http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fimmu.2014.00076/fullCatsCattleDogsEnvironmental MonitoringHorsesRodents |
| spellingShingle | Eva eZahradnik Monika eRaulf Animal allergens and their presence in the environment Frontiers in Immunology Cats Cattle Dogs Environmental Monitoring Horses Rodents |
| title | Animal allergens and their presence in the environment |
| title_full | Animal allergens and their presence in the environment |
| title_fullStr | Animal allergens and their presence in the environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Animal allergens and their presence in the environment |
| title_short | Animal allergens and their presence in the environment |
| title_sort | animal allergens and their presence in the environment |
| topic | Cats Cattle Dogs Environmental Monitoring Horses Rodents |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fimmu.2014.00076/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT evaezahradnik animalallergensandtheirpresenceintheenvironment AT monikaeraulf animalallergensandtheirpresenceintheenvironment |