(HealthDay News) — Mite, mouse, cat, and dog allergens are higher in day-care centers (DCCs) than in homes, according to a study published in Allergy.
Ingrid Sander, PhD, from the Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany, and colleagues compared allergen concentrations from settled airborne dust in 20 DCCs to private homes. Samples were collected using electrostatic dust collectors 4 times per year and were analyzed using fluorescence-enzyme-immunoassays.
The researchers found that allergen loads were on average higher in DCCs than in homes. The vast majority of DCC samples were positive for allergens, including domestic mite allergens (96%), dog allergens (95%), cat allergens (90%), and mouse allergens (83%). Homes had contamination rates of 84, 48.5, 33, and 43%, respectively. Season and room type significantly influenced allergen levels, but carpets on floors had no influence.
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“Exposure to dog and cat allergens in DCCs often reached levels of households with pets,” the authors write.
Reference
- Sander I, Lotz A, Neumann HD, et al. Indoor allergen levels in settled airborne dust are higher in day-care centers than at home. Allergy. 2017 15 Dec. doi: 10.1111/all.13371
