TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect environmental intervention on mouse allergen levels in homes of inner-city Boston children with asthma
AU - Phipatanakul, Wanda
AU - Cronin, Beth
AU - Wood, Robert A.
AU - Eggleston, Peyton A.
AU - Shih, Mei Chiung
AU - Song, Leslie
AU - Tachdjian, Raffi
AU - Oettgen, Hans C.
N1 - Funding Information:
* Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. † Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. ‡ Clinical Research Program, Children’s Hospital, and Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. § Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. This study was supported by The Medical Foundation–Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund and the Children’s Hospital Community Health Benefits Research Grant. Dr. Phipatanakul is supported by grant K-23 AI 054972 from the National Institutes of Health. Received for publication August 22, 2003. Accepted for publication in revised form October 10, 2003.
PY - 2004/4
Y1 - 2004/4
N2 - Background: Recent studies have suggested that mouse allergen exposure and sensitization are common in urban children with asthma. The effectiveness of environmental intervention in reducing mouse allergen exposure has not been established. Objective: To evaluate whether environmental intervention of mouse extermination and cleaning results in a reduction in mouse allergen levels. Methods: Eighteen homes of children with positive mouse allergen skin test results and at least mild persistent asthma in urban Boston, MA, with evidence of mouse infestation or exposure were randomized in a 2:1 ratio (12 intervention and 6 control homes). The intervention homes received an integrated pest management intervention, which consisted of filling holes with copper mesh, vacuuming and cleaning, and using low-toxicity pesticides and traps. Dust samples were collected and analyzed for major mouse allergen (Mus m 1) and cockroach allergen (Bla g 1) at baseline and 1, 3, and 5 months after the intervention was started and compared with control homes. Results: Mouse allergen levels were significantly decreased compared with control homes by the end of the intervention period at month 5 in the kitchen and bedroom (kitchen intervention, 78.8% reduction; control, 319% increase; P = .02; bedroom intervention, 77.3% reduction; control, 358% increase; P < .01; and living room intervention, 67.6% reduction; control, 32% reduction; P = .07). Conclusions: Mouse allergen levels were significantly reduced during a 5-month period using an integrated pest management intervention.
AB - Background: Recent studies have suggested that mouse allergen exposure and sensitization are common in urban children with asthma. The effectiveness of environmental intervention in reducing mouse allergen exposure has not been established. Objective: To evaluate whether environmental intervention of mouse extermination and cleaning results in a reduction in mouse allergen levels. Methods: Eighteen homes of children with positive mouse allergen skin test results and at least mild persistent asthma in urban Boston, MA, with evidence of mouse infestation or exposure were randomized in a 2:1 ratio (12 intervention and 6 control homes). The intervention homes received an integrated pest management intervention, which consisted of filling holes with copper mesh, vacuuming and cleaning, and using low-toxicity pesticides and traps. Dust samples were collected and analyzed for major mouse allergen (Mus m 1) and cockroach allergen (Bla g 1) at baseline and 1, 3, and 5 months after the intervention was started and compared with control homes. Results: Mouse allergen levels were significantly decreased compared with control homes by the end of the intervention period at month 5 in the kitchen and bedroom (kitchen intervention, 78.8% reduction; control, 319% increase; P = .02; bedroom intervention, 77.3% reduction; control, 358% increase; P < .01; and living room intervention, 67.6% reduction; control, 32% reduction; P = .07). Conclusions: Mouse allergen levels were significantly reduced during a 5-month period using an integrated pest management intervention.
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U2 - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)61777-2
DO - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)61777-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 15104193
AN - SCOPUS:3042805573
SN - 1081-1206
VL - 92
SP - 420
EP - 425
JO - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
JF - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
IS - 4
ER -