Of the four modes of treating human allergic disease, avoidance or separation of the allergic patient from the allergen source is most effective and least expensive. The clinical immunology laboratory has established efficient and inexpensive "reservoir" dust sampling and processing procedures to obtain a surface dust specimen that reflects the allergen burden of the environment. Following extr...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in air (using PUF disk passive samplers) in 31 homes, 33 offices, 25 cars, and 3 public microenvironments. Average concentrations of sigmaBDE (273 pg m(-3)) and sigmaPCB (8920 pg m(-3)) were an order of magnitude higher than those previously reported for outdoor air. Cars were the most contaminated microen...

the state of works of art exhibited inside museums can be strongly influenced by indoor air quality, due to chemical activity of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter. for that reason it is important to carry out periodic air quality controls to check if the concentration levels of air pollutants comply with the limits specified by the national laws. in this work we show results obtained i...

BACKGROUND Indoor allergens play a major role both in sensitization and as triggers of asthma in children. The relationship between allergen exposure and sensitization to cats, dogs, and mites was studied prospectively in 100 newborn babies with a history of allergy in both parents. METHODS Skin prick tests were done with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D.farinae, and cat and dog allergens in...

Allen JG, McClean MD, Stapleton HM, Webster TF. 2008a. Critical factors in assessing exposure to PBDEs via house dust. Environ Int 34:1085–1091. Allen JG, McClean MD, Stapleton HM, Webster TF. 2008b. Linking PBDEs in house dust to consumer products using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Environ Sci Technol 42(11):4222–4228. Harrad S, Abdallah M, de Wit C, Östman C, Bergh C, Covaci A, et al. 2010. Indo...

Allen JG, McClean MD, Stapleton HM, Webster TF. 2008a. Critical factors in assessing exposure to PBDEs via house dust. Environ Int 34:1085–1091. Allen JG, McClean MD, Stapleton HM, Webster TF. 2008b. Linking PBDEs in house dust to consumer products using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Environ Sci Technol 42(11):4222–4228. Harrad S, Abdallah M, de Wit C, Östman C, Bergh C, Covaci A, et al. 2010. Indo...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in dust from 16 cars, 12 homes, and 18 offices in Lagos, Nigeria. These represent the first and second reports respectively of contamination of Nigerian indoor dust with these contaminants, and the second report on PCBs in car dust worldwide. Concentrations of BDE-47 and BDE-99 in two car dust samples (930...

BACKGROUND Mattress and pillow encasings are recommended for patients allergic to dust mites. Many encasements block allergen and are vapor permeable but do not allow free passage of air through the material. Recently, breathable fabrics made from tightly woven synthetic fibers or nonwoven synthetics have been recommend as encasements. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop a meth...

BACKGROUND Rain and flooding from Hurricane Katrina resulted in widespread growth of mold and bacteria and production of allergens in New Orleans, Louisiana, which may have led to increased exposures and morbidity in children with asthma. OBJECTIVES The goal of the Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL) study was to characterize post-Katrina exposures to mold and allergens in child...