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Grant TL, Wood RA, Chapman MD. Indoor Environmental Exposures and Their Relationship to Allergic Diseases. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2023; 11:2963-2970. [PMID: 37652348 PMCID: PMC10927277 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2023.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Cockroach, dust mite, cat, dog, mouse, and molds are major indoor allergens that have been associated with the development of allergic diseases and disease morbidity in allergen-sensitized individuals. Physical characteristics, such as allergen particle size, hydrophobicity, and charge, can determine an allergen's propensity to become airborne, location of respiratory tract penetration, and ability to elicit IgE responses in genetically predisposed individuals. Standardization and recent advancements in indoor allergen assessment serve to identify sources and distribution of allergens in a patient's home and public environment, inform public policy, and monitor the efficacy of allergen avoidance and therapeutics. Allergen exposure interventions have yielded mixed results with current US and international asthma guidelines differing on recommendations. A pragmatic, patient-centered approach to allergen avoidance includes: (1) tailoring intervention to the patient's sensitization and exposure status, (2) using a rigorous multifaceted intervention strategy to reduce allergen exposure as much as possible, and (3) beginning the intervention as soon as the patient is diagnosed. Further research into the risks/benefits of early allergen exposure, rapid and affordable in-home allergen assessment, and best practices for environmental control measures for asthma is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torie L Grant
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
| | - Robert A Wood
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md
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Feng T, Han Q, Su W, Yu Q, Yang J, Li H. Microbiota and mobile genetic elements influence antibiotic resistance genes in dust from dense urban public places. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 311:119991. [PMID: 35987288 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many contaminants were carried by dust, a common environment media that is easy to contact with human beings, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as an emergency pollutant also harbor in dust and pose serious threats to human health especially those carried by opportunistic pathogens because inactivation of antibiotics caused by ARGs may enhance pathogenicity. Considering there is a gap of investigation of dust ARGs, 16 S rRNA gene sequences and high-throughput quantitative PCR were employed to obtain information of microbial communities and accumulated ARGs in dust from different urban places, including the malls, hospitals, schools and parks, to investigate the distribution and influencing factors of ARGs and discover the potential hosts of ARGs in dust. Here, 9 types of ARGs such as sulfonamide, tetracycline, and beta-lactamase and 71 subtypes of ARGs like sul1, tetM-01, and drfA1 were detected in dust. ARGs had varying distribution in different public places and seasons in dust. The abundances of total ARGs, MLSB and tetracycline genes were higher in spring than summer. The diversity of ARGs was highest in malls, follow by hospitals, schools, and parks. Additionally, multi-drug resistance genes in dust were more abundant in hospitals than in schools and parks. The microbes were distinguished as the most important driving factors for ARGs in dust, followed by the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and different places, while dust physicochemical parameters only exert a negligible impact. Notably, several opportunistic pathogens like the Streptococcus, Vibrio, and Pseudomonas were inferred as potential hosts of high-risk ARGs such as mecA, tetM-02, and tetO-01 in dust because of strongly positive co-occurrence. These results imply that dust is likely an important reservoir of ARGs. We should realize that ARGs may be harbored in some opportunistic pathogens occur in dust and endanger human health because of dust contacting to human easily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshu Feng
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qian Han
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Wanghong Su
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Qiaoling Yu
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jiawei Yang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Huan Li
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Center for Grassland Microbiome, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
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Charalampopoulos A, Damialis A, Vokou D. Spatiotemporal assessment of aeromycoflora under differing urban green space, sampling height, and meteorological regimes: the atmospheric fungiscape of Thessaloniki, Greece. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:895-909. [PMID: 35147779 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-022-02247-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We studied the diversity and abundance of the airborne fungal spores in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, for two consecutive years. Air samples were collected at one rooftop station (at 30 m) and six near-ground stations (at 1.5 m) that differed in the size and composition of adjacent green spaces. The effects of meteorological factors on airborne fungal spore concentrations were also explored. Cladosporium spores were dominant everywhere in the air of the city. The total concentration of the airborne fungal spores at 30 m was 10 times lower than near the ground. Differences in concentration and composition were far less pronounced among near-ground stations. The attributes of the fungal spore season did not change in a consistent way among stations and years. Concentrations at the near-ground stations matched the grouping of the latter into stations of high, intermediate, and low urban green space. Minimum air temperature was the primary meteorological factor affecting spore abundance, followed by relative humidity. Airborne fungal spores are more homogeneously distributed in the air of the city, but their concentrations decrease more rapidly with height than pollen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios Charalampopoulos
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Athanasios Damialis
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despoina Vokou
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
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Sander I, Lotz A, Liebers V, Zahradnik E, Sauke-Gensow U, Petersen J, Raulf M. Comparing the concentration levels of allergens and endotoxins in employees' homes and offices. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2021; 95:573-588. [PMID: 34738178 PMCID: PMC8938351 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01794-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective The aim of the study was to find out whether allergen and endotoxin concentrations in offices differ from those measured at the homes of employees, and identify the parameters that influence exposure. Methods Electrostatic dust collectors (EDCs) were placed in five office buildings (68 rooms, 436 EDCs), as well as the homes of the office workers (145 rooms, 405 EDCs) for 14 days, four times a year. In addition, surface samples were collected from the offices four times a year by vacuuming the carpeted floors. Domestic mite (DM), and the major cat and dog allergens (Fel d 1 and Can f 1) were quantified in all samples using fluorescence enzyme immunoassays. Endotoxin was measured in the EDC samples, using the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay. The allergen and endotoxin concentrations were log transformed and analysed with multilevel models. Results Endotoxin concentrations were significantly higher in personal homes compared to levels measured in the offices, and depended on the number of persons living in each household, as well as the presence of a dog. DM allergens were significantly higher in households than in offices, and were significantly higher in bedrooms compared to living rooms. Offices occupied by cat owners had significantly higher Fel d 1 concentrations than offices or homes without. Additionally, Can f 1 concentrations were significantly higher in offices occupied by dog owners compared to those without. Conclusions Pet owners appear to transfer cat and dog allergens to their offices. Therefore, in case of allergy complaints at the office, employers and physicians might consider possible contamination by cat and dog allergens. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00420-021-01794-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Sander
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Anne Lotz
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany
| | - Verena Liebers
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany
| | - Eva Zahradnik
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sauke-Gensow
- Verwaltungsberufsgenossenschaft (VBG), German Social Accident Insurance, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jens Petersen
- Verwaltungsberufsgenossenschaft (VBG), German Social Accident Insurance, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Monika Raulf
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine, German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, 44789, Bochum, Germany
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Particle matter, volatile organic compounds, and occupational allergens: correlation and sources in laboratory animal facilities. SN APPLIED SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42452-020-03465-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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Sander I, Lotz A, Neumann HD, Czibor C, Zahradnik E, Raulf M. Reliability and Correlation Between Indoor Allergen Concentrations from Vacuumed Surface Samples and Electrostatic Dust Collectors. Ann Work Expo Health 2020; 64:165-174. [PMID: 31773159 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxz090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Most studies on indoor allergen exposure used vacuumed surface samples for quantification. One alternative is electrostatic dust collectors (EDCs), which sample previously airborne settled dust. The aim of this study was to compare allergen quantification using two different sampling methods, with respect to repeatability, and to determine how well the results agree with one another. METHODS Four times a year, measurements were made from samples that were either collected from the vacuuming of surfaces, or from EDCs, from 20 German day-care centers totaling 167 rooms. Overall, 504 vacuumed samples collected from smooth floors, 435 samples from carpets, 291 samples from upholstered furniture and beds, and 605 EDC samples were analyzed using six fluorescence enzyme immunoassays recognizing Fel d 1, Can f 1, Mus m 1, domestic mite (DM), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Tp) antigens. Variances and correlations among the repeat measurements over the course of the year within each sample type, and the correlations between surface samples and the corresponding EDC samples were calculated. RESULTS Repeat measurements over the year correlated significantly with one another. However, only Fel d 1, Can f 1, and DM in the EDC samples; DM, Dp, Tp, and Fel d 1 in the upholstered furniture samples; and DM in the carpet samples show representative results of single measurements according to their variance ratios (within-room/between-room variance <1). The highest correlation between surface and EDC samples was found for Fel d 1 on the upholstered furniture (r 0.52), followed by Can f 1 on the upholstered furniture and Can f 1 on carpets (r 0.47 and 0.45, respectively). The maximum correlation for mite antigens was between carpet samples and EDC (DM r 0.27, Dp r 0.33). Mus m 1 and Tp antigens for the most part did not correlate to the EDC results. CONCLUSIONS Both vacuumed dust from upholstered furniture and EDC samples were suitable for repeatable quantification of several allergens in day-care centers within a year. However, there was little agreement among the different collection methods, especially for Mus m 1 and certain mite antigens. Therefore, the method and location used for collection may greatly influence allergen exposure assessment and study results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Sander
- Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (IPA), Kompetenz-Zentrum für Allergologie/Immunologie, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Anne Lotz
- Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (IPA), Kompetenz-Zentrum für Epidemiologie, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Heinz-Dieter Neumann
- Unfallkasse Nordrhein-Westfalen der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung, Dezernat Prävention, Biologische, chemische und physikalische Einwirkungen, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christina Czibor
- Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (IPA), Kompetenz-Zentrum für Allergologie/Immunologie, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Eva Zahradnik
- Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (IPA), Kompetenz-Zentrum für Allergologie/Immunologie, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Monika Raulf
- Institut für Prävention und Arbeitsmedizin der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung (IPA), Kompetenz-Zentrum für Allergologie/Immunologie, Institut der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Satyaraj E, Wedner HJ, Bousquet J. Keep the cat, change the care pathway: A transformational approach to managing Fel d 1, the major cat allergen. Allergy 2019; 74 Suppl 107:5-17. [PMID: 31498459 PMCID: PMC7156987 DOI: 10.1111/all.14013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Background Allergies to cats are the most common animal‐origin allergy, and affect approximately 1 in 5 adults worldwide. The prevalence of allergy to furry animals has been increasing, and allergy to cats is a major risk factor for the development of asthma and rhinitis. The diagnosis of cat allergy is now well established. The exact significance of component‐resolved diagnosis in the diagnosis of cat allergy remains to be fully understood. Allergen avoidance is effective but often has a psychologic impact. Allergen immunotherapy is not well demonstrated. There is a need for innovative approaches to better manage cat allergens. Next‐generation care pathways for asthma and rhinitis will define the place of cat allergen avoidance. Methods and Results This manuscript, based on content presented at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress 2019, provides information on the prevalence and impact of cat allergies and the molecular biology of Fel d 1, the major cat allergen. Discussion The authors present the scientific basis of a novel care pathway that utilizes anti‐Fel d 1 IgY antibodies to safely and effectively neutralize Fel d 1 after its production by the cat but before human exposure. Conclusion Efficacy of a feline diet with an egg product ingredient containing anti‐Fel d 1 IgY antibodies was demonstrated in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo, and further validated by a pilot exposure study involving cat‐allergic human participants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Harold James Wedner
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis MO USA
| | - Jean Bousquet
- University Hospital Montpellier France
- MACVIA‐France Fondation partenariale FMC VIA‐LR Montpellier France
- INSERM U 1168 VIMA: Ageing and Chronic Diseases Epidemiological and Public Health Approaches Villejuif France
- UMR‐S 1168 Université Versailles St‐Quentin‐en‐Yvelines Montigny le Bretonneux France
- Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
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