Occupational Exposure to Indoor Allergens in Finnish Trained Home-Helpers: a Pilot Study

• Published in: Journal of Occupational Health Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 140 - 144
• Main Authors: Pennanen, Sirpa, Harju, Anu, Merikoski, Raisa, Pasanen, Anna‐Liisa, Liesivuori, Jyrki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: JAPAN SOCIETY FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 01-05-2002
• Subjects: Can f 1; Der p 1; Fel d 1; House dust; Occupational exposure; Prick test; Sensitization; Storage mites; Trained home helper; Finland
• ISSN: 1341-9145; 1348-9585; 1348-9585
• DOI: 10.1539/joh.44.140

The presence of allergies, respiratory symptoms and skin-prick reactions was evaluated in trained home-helpers (THH), and indoor allergen levels were measured at their work sites. A questionnaire was answered by 118 THHS and forty THHS consented to skin-prick tests. The indoor allergen levels in the settled house dust from the clients' homes of17 prick tested THHS were determined by two-site monoclonal antibody ELISA methods. Forty-eight percent of the THHS had one or more symptoms at least weekly. The presence of respiratory symptoms and atopy was not particularly high in THHs. Prick tests revealed that 11 THHS (28%) had positive reactions to one or more of the allergens tested. A significant correlation was observed between the frequency of reported symptoms and positive prick reactions. Fel d 1 was found in 98% and Can f 1 in 96% of the dust samples, but Der p 1 in only 21% of the samples, though the levels remained rather low. The sensitization threshold suggested for cat allergen (1 /1g/g) was exceeded in 26%, and that for dog allergen (2 /1g/g) in 32%, of the sites studied. These results showed that THHS are occupationally exposed to allergen levels sufficient to result in sensitization.