SERIAL DETERMINATIONS OF DER-P-1 AND DER-F-1 SHOW PREDOMINANCE OF ONEDERMATOPHAGOIDES SPECIES

One dust sample each month was collected for an average of 11 months t hroughout the year from the bedroom carpet of 39 mite allergic, asthma tic individuals living in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Dust samples were collected from a square meter area from the bedroom carpet for 2 min using a portable vacuum cleaner and analyzed using two-site monocl onal antibody assays. The geometric mean of Dermatophagoides allergens Der p 1 and Der f 1 levels measured in each individual home was used in the statistical analysis of the results and reflects the average al lergen level per year per home. Der p 1 levels were greater than Der f 1 in 21 homes; five homes had between 1.1 and 5 times more; one home had between 5 and 10; and 15 had between 10 and 175. Der f 1 levels we re greater than Der p 1 in 18 homes; seven homes had between 1.1 and 5 times more; four had between 5 and 10; and seven homes had between 10 and 44. Spearman rank analysis of the results yielded a negative corr elation coefficient (Rho) = -0.213 (9 = 0.19) between Der p 1 and Der f 1 levels. These data suggest that when mite allergen levels reach a geometric mean value of approximately 2 mu g/gram of dust throughout a year one mite species predominates over the other.