Does Air-borne Allergens in Schools Pose a Threat?

In schools and home, mouse allergen is more common and exposure to mouse allergen at school was associated with increased asthma symptoms and lower lung function.

A new article by Wanda Phipatanakul, M.D., M.S., of Boston's Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and coauthors examined if air-borne allergens in schools affect students' asthma symptoms? in a study that included 284 students (ages 4 to 13) enrolled at 37 inner-city schools in the northeastern United States.

Classroom and home dust samples linked to the students were collected and analyzed for common indoor allergens, including rat, mouse, cockroach, cat, dog and dust mites. Associations between school exposure to allergens and asthma outcomes were adjusted for exposure to the allergens at home.

‘Exposure reduction strategies in the school setting may effectively and efficiently benefit all children with asthma.’

Apart from mouse allergen, none of the other airborne allergens were associated with worse asthma outcomes. While cat and dog allergens were commonly detected in the schools, dust mite levels were low and cockroach and rat allergens were mostly undetectable in schools and homes.

Limitations of the study include results that may not be generalizable to other cities where other allergens may be predominant in schools.

"These findings suggest that exposure reduction strategies in the school setting may effectively and efficiently benefit all children with asthma. Future school-based environmental intervention studies may be warranted," the authors conclude.

Source: Eurekalert

Allergy - Symptom Evaluation

An allergic reaction may be mild or severe. It usually involves the skin, respiratory system, eyes, digestive system or blood pressure.

Allergy

An allergy is a hypersensitive disorder of immune system. Substances that often cause allergic reactions are pollen, dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, food, insect stings and medicines.

Sulphonamide Allergy

Sulphonamide allergy is one of the commonest drug allergy reactions. It is seen to antibiotics containing the sulphonamide group.

Dealing with Pollen Allergy

The plants around you that give you sniffles in your nose at specific time of the year are the source of allergy causing pollens.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Find out more about the degenerative disease- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Childhood Allergies

Childhood allergies are on the rise, may be potentially debilitating, may last lifelong, and require treatment under an experienced allergy specialist.