Effect of a Resident and Indoor Environmental characteristics on the House Dust Mites Allergen

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the indoor environment i.e. house type and age, ventilation method, use of bed & sofa, cockroach, ants, etc. on HDM (House dust mites), especially Der fI allergen. Method: Samples of dust from mattresses, pillows and the floor were collected by using a vacuum cleaner from April, 2000. The amount of Group I allergen(Der. fI) of HDM (House dust mites) were measured by two-site ELISA. Indoor Environmental characteristics were accessed by using questionnaires on 178 house wives living in the Seoul area. Results: The amount of HDM allergen (Der fI) was higher in sofa using house. There were higher concentrations of HDM allergen (Der FI) in sofas made from quilt material than for those that were made from leather. Homes that had pets like dogs living in them had higher concentrations of HDM allergen (Der fI) than without dogs. Conclusion: The photophobic mites thrive in dark, warm and humid environments: Items such as pillows, mattresses, box springs, blankets, carpets, and upholstered furniture should be considered ideal environments for the mite. Therefore, an indoor environmental control program should be carried out to avoid the HDM allergen.