MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS OF INDOOR ALLERG ENS

Allergenic proteins of house dust mites, pets and cockroaches represen t important risk-factors for sensitization and the development of alle rgic airway disease. Threshold levels that induce sensitization and cl inical symtoms of allergy have not been determined for some allergens. Because epidemiological studies require standardized sample collectio n and analysis procedures, we have performed pilot studies designed to document interlaboratory consistency in our allergen measures. Dust s amples were collected in 25 houses, and extractions were performed fol lowing international recommendations. The major allergens of mites (De r p 1, Der f 1 and Der 2), cat (Fel d 1) and cockroach (Blag 2) were m easured using two-site monoclonal antibody based enzyme-linked immunoa ssays (ELISA). Samples of living rooms were tested at the Institute fo r Clinical Immunology at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. an d at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. Good concordance w as achieved between the two laboratories, and our tests are considered sufficiently reliable for use in epidemiologic study.