2.

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Working the bugs out of asthma

Authors: Carol Potera

Cockroach antigens (proteins found in the insects' feces, saliva, eggs, and shed cuticles) have been implicated as one of the leading causes of asthma among inner-city children. These antigens can trigger severe allergic reactions, and even tiny amounts can be potentially fatal to sensitive asthmatics. Cockroach allergies are particularly difficult to treat because the cockroach antigens are so persistent. The challenge lies in pinpointing the precise location of the antigens within a house

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Fact Sheet on Rodents: Rats and Mice

Authors: Laurene Hall

Rats and mice will inhabit a variety of places including woodpiles, bushes, tall grasses, and underground burrows. They often find shelter in buildings, cars, appliances, and furniture that has been put outside. They are most attracted to garbage cans with loose lids, birdseed, pet food in pet dishes, and fruits and berries on the ground. Furthermore, compost bins containing meat, fish, poultry, or dairy wastes are rat magnets. Do not put these items in your compost. Once inside your home, rats

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Integrated Pest Management in Housing

Authors: Sam Bryks

Most of us have the expectation of having “apparently” pest free homes – no creepy crawlies of any kind, no bugs or spiders or mice or anything that sneaks or creeps. This has always been a desire of people even when it was almost impossible in earlier historical periods. Pests have always played very significant roles in the human experience. Most of plagues mentioned in the Chapter Exodus from the Old Testament were pests of one form or other. These were often described as pestilence –

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Contracts and Contractors - Integrated Pest Management in Housing

Authors: Toronto IPM Housing Contractors

Pest control contracts for housing (and especially in the public/nonprofit sector) have been no-win, low bid, “run and spray”, “what do you expect” low expectation, low-tech, necessary “evil” services until quite recently. “Evil” in the sense of it not being pleasant to have to have pesticides applied in one’s home, with this idea that “it’s safe to us, but will kill the roaches”. The lesser of two evils one might say… “What is worst? having the bugs? Or the odour of the spray for a short

16.

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Integrated Pest Management Kit For Building Managers

Authors: Brad Mitchell

What Is IPM? Traditional methods of pest control usually involves no more than periodic applications of pesticides. IPM is a common sense approach to pest management that uses a variety of methods to control pests. Chemical pesticides may be part of an IPM program. However, considerable effort is also put towards preventing pest problems by controlling conditions which may attract and support pests. IPM has been used successfully for many years in agriculture, and is increasingly being applied

17.

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Can Integrated Pest Management Impact Urban Children with Asthma?

Authors: Megan Sandel, et al.

Objective: To assess if an integrated pest management (IPM) program can impact pest infestation levels and the health of urban children with asthma Methods: Within a larger randomized controlled study in private and subsidized urban homes, all families who reported pest infestations were offered an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program consisting of an in-home education session about reducing pests, supplies to seal food and trash, and two treatments from a professional pest control service.

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The Principals of Integrated Pest Management

Authors: The Principals of Integrated Pest Management

WHY USE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT? 1. IPM is the most effective method of controlling pests. 2. Pesticides may not always be the safest way to deal with pest problems. Studies having shown that children are at greater risk than adults to the effects of pesticide exposure. 3. Kids may crawl or play on surfaces that have been treated with pesticides, increasing their risk of exposure. 4. Getting organized, improving sanitation, and sealing buildings results in numerous benefits in addition to p

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Armed Forces Pest Management Board Technical Guide No. 29 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in and Around Buildings

Authors: Defense Pest Management Information Analysis Center

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is defined in DoD Instruction 4150.7 as "a planned program,incorporating continuous monitoring, education, record-keeping, and communication to prevent pests and disease vectors from causing unacceptable damage to operations, people, property, materiel, or the environment. IPM uses targeted, sustainable(effective, economical, environmentally sound) methods including habitat, modification, biological control, genetic control, cultural control, mechanical control,

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Sample Integrated Pest Management Specifications

Authors: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) & Dr. Stephen Franz

Provide integrated pest management services. Conduct IPM outreach and workshop sessions to educate tenant associations, landlords, superintendents, and other building and community residents about the availability of IPM services. Provide direct instruction to residents on apartment maintenance to sustain reduced infestation and improved safety and health. Submit detailed monthly reports on project status using a template provided by DOHMH. Cooperate with DOHMH on evaluating the process and eff

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Vacuum dust sample collection protocol for allergens - For use by: HUD’s Healthy Homes Initiative Grantees

Authors: Alan Pate and Jessica Sanford

This protocol is intended for use by HUD’s Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) grantees for collecting household dust samples for allergen analyses. Unlike traditional field sampling protocols, this protocol has flexibility built into it with the understanding that different grantees may have different goals and/or resource limitations that require a customized protocol to better suit their needs. As a result, some sections of this protocol describe a specific procedure to be followed whereas other s

38.

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National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing Final Report Volume I: Analysis of Lead Hazards

Authors: Robert P. Clickner, et al.

The National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing (referred to as the National Survey or NSLAH) was conducted under the sponsorship of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to assess children's potential household exposure to lead and allergens. The National Survey measured the levels of lead in dust, soil, and paint, the prevalence of hazardous levels of lead, and levels and patterns of various indoor aller

39.

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How to use integrated pest management to uninvited residential pests

Authors: The New York State IPM Program

Integrated pest management, or IPM, is both a way of thinking and a way of acting in regard to pests. People who practice IPM try to prevent damage from pests or to manage them in ways that reduce risks to the environment and human health. To practice IPM, you don’t have to be an expert. This brochure is designed to help get you started with an understanding of insects, weeds, and other pests in and around your home.

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Tips to Rid Your House of Insects and Rodents

Authors: Health Canada

Pests such as insects and rodents in the yard or home are often just a nuisance; however, some can damage food or possessions in your house. Simple preventive measures can stop most problems before they begin. Even when pests do get into the house, there is rarely a need to use pesticides. Simply removing their food supply and breeding sites is often the most effective control. Steps such as managing garbage so that it attracts fewer insects and animals, cleaning up spilled food, especially p

61.

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Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?

Authors: United States Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Environments Division

Knowledge about air duct cleaning is in its early stages, so a blanket recommendation cannot be offered as to whether you should have the air ducts in your home cleaned. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges you to read this document in its entirety as it provides important information on the subject. Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems. Neither do studies conclusively demonstrate that particle (e.g., dust) levels in homes increase because of di

64.

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Home Is Where the Harm Is: Inadequate Housing as a Public Health Crisis

Authors: Samiya A. Bashir

For many breadwinners of low-income families, going home at the end of a long workday can be a challenge, but it is a challenge they look forward to from the moment they arrive at work. The battle might begin with stepping off site into a city block filled with diesel exhaust. Perhaps a hard worker straps into a car for a fight with congested traffic on the long commute home, constantly alert to each potential danger the modern roadways present. Or maybe this breadwinner walks through the exha

65.

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A multihazard, multistrategy approach to home remediation: results of a pilot study

Authors: Susan klitzman, Jack Caravanos, Candice Belanoff and Laura Rothenberg

Many residential hazards are disproportionately concentrated in older, urban dwellings and share common underlying causes, such as uncorrected moisture problems and inadequate maintenance and cleaning. Comprehensive and affordable approaches to remediation are needed, but the feasibility and efficacy of such approaches has not been well documented. To address this gap, a multihazard, multimethod intervention, addressing deteriorated lead-based paint and lead dust, vermin, mold, and safety hazard

76.

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The Influence of House Characteristics in a Canadian Community on Microbiological Contamination

Authors: Mark D. Lawton, Robert E. Dales and Jim White

Fifty-nine houses in the small Canadian community of Wallaceburg, 39 with high levels of biologically active contaminants and 20 with low levels, were subjected to detailed field inspections: testing to determine house-operating parameters; monitoring of indoor environmental conditions; and simulating to predict the condensation formation potential under winter conditions. It was found that low air leakage and natural ventilation were not associated with higher levels of mold growth, as measured

85.

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Short-term Impact of a Randomized Multifaceted Intervention for Wheezing Infants in Low-income Families

Authors: Mary D. Klinnert, et al.

Objective: To present an interim analysis of the effect of a home-based intervention with low-income caregivers of wheezing infants at risk for childhood asthma on mediating variables. Method: Infants aged 9 to 24 months with 3 or more physician-documented wheezing episodes were randomly assigned to environmental support intervention (ES) (n=90) or control (n=91) groups. Nurse home visitors intervened for 1 year to decrease allergen and environmental tobacco smoke exposure and improve symptom

87.

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Domestic allergens in public places III: house dust mite, cat, dog and cockroach allergens in British hospitals

Authors: A. Custovic, et al.

BACKGROUND: Exposure and sensitization to indoor allergens is a major cause of asthma. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the levels of house dust mite, cat, dog and cockroach allergens in the dust and air in hospitals and the effects of regular vacuum cleaning on allergen levels in hospital chairs. METHODS: Der p 1, Fel d 1, Can f 1 and Bla g 2 were measured in the dust collected by vacuuming upholstered chairs and a 1 m2 area of carpet and mattress in 14 hospitals. Air samples were collected

88.

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Asthma in the Elderly: Cockroach Sensitization and Severity of Airway Obstruction in Elderly Nonsmokers

Authors: Linda Rogers, et al.

Study objectives: To test the hypothesis that the presence of sensitization to indoor allergens is associated with increased severity of airway obstruction in elderly subjects with asthma. Design: Cohort study of subjects enrolled in a public hospital asthma clinic. Setting: Asthma clinic in a municipal public hospital serving an indigent population in New York City. Patients: Subjects aged > 60 years with asthma who were enrolled in the Bellevue Hospital Asthma Clinic. Total serum IgE and al

92.

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Clinical effects of air cleaners in homes of asthmatic children sensitized to pet allergens

Authors: Sicco van der Heide

Background: Exposure to cat and dog allergens is very common in the Western World and is a serious cause of asthma in sensitized subjects. Objective:We sought to study the clinical effects of air cleaners in living rooms and bedrooms of asthmatic children sensitized to cat or dog allergens. Methods: Twenty asthmatic children sensitized to pet allergens (cat/dog) and with an animal at home participated in a doubleblind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in which the effects of air cleaners

93.

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Environmental factors influencing the development and progression of pediatric asthma

Authors: Erika von Mutius

Recent data underscore the importance of environmental factors in the sensitization of children to certain allergens and the development of asthma. Maternal smoking and family (especially maternal) history of atopy appear to be risk factors for persistent sensitization and development of asthma. Indeed, exposure to tobacco smoke in utero significantly increases asthma risk and influences the timing of sensitization. It must be stated that any smoking at home has consequences for the development

94.

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Assessment of vacuum cleaners and vacuum cleaner bags recommended for allergic subjects

Authors: John W.Vaughan, Judith A.Woodfolk, and Thomas A. E. Platts-Mills

Background: High-quality vacuum cleaners and vacuum cleaner bags are often recommended to allergic patients as a means of reducing indoor allergen exposure. A number of vacuum cleaners on the market today claim to capture 99.9% of particles 0.3 µm or larger entering the vacuum cleaner, and many vacuum cleaner bags are now being sold as microfiltration bags. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the allergen-trapping abilities of vacuum cleaners and to use a new technique for test

95.

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Four-year incidence of allergic sensitization among schoolchildren in a community where allergy to cat and dog dominates sensitization: Report from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden Study Group

Authors: Eva Rönmark, Matthew Perzanowski, Thomas Platts-Mills and Bo Lundbäck

Background: Exposure to high levels of cat allergen might prevent sensitization. Objective:We sought to measure the incidence of allergic sensitization among schoolchildren living in a dust mite– and cockroach-free environment and the associated risk factors. Methods: In 1996, a longitudinal cohort was established in northern Sweden, including 2454 children aged 7 to 8 years. Children were skin tested, and the testing was repeated 4 years later. Questionnaires were completed yearly. Particip

96.

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The prevalence of rat allergen in innercity homes and its relationship to sensitization and asthma morbidity

Authors: Tamara Perry, et al.

Background: Rat allergen has proved to be an important cause of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity in the occupational setting. The prevalence and significance of rat allergen in homes has not been studied. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of rat allergen in the homes of inner-city children with asthma and to examine the relationship between rat allergen exposure, sensitization, and asthma morbidity. Methods:We developed a new monoclonal-based ELISA to determine

97.

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House dust mite and cockroach exposure are strong risk factors for positive allergy skin test responses in the Childhood Asthma Management Program

Authors: Karen Huss, et al.

Background: Children with asthma have a high prevalence of environmental allergies, especially to indoor allergens. The relationships of exposure to indoor allergens (dust mites, cat, dog, cockroach, and molds) and other host factors to allergy sensitization have not been evaluated simultaneously in a large cohort. Objectives:We studied 1041 children aged 5 to 12 years with mild-to-moderate asthma to determine risk factors associated with having positive allergy skin test responses to indoor al

98.

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The role and remediation of animal allergens in allergic diseases

Authors: Martin D. Chapman and Robert A.Wood,

Animal allergens are common causes of both acute and chronic allergic disease. The most important animal allergens are derived from mammals, principally cats, dogs, rats, mice, horses, and cows, which secrete or excrete allergens into the environment. Allergic sensitization may occur at home or in the workplace. Cat and dog allergens commonly cause allergies in the home and affect the general population. Laboratory animal handlers often have allergic reactions to rats and mice. Cow dander aller

99.

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The Canadian Childhood Asthma Primary Prevention Study: Outcomes at 7 years of age

Authors: Moira Chan-Yeung, et al.

Background: Avoidance of any one of the individual risk factors associated with childhood asthma has not been successful in preventing its development. Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention program for the primary prevention of asthma in high-risk infants at 7 years of age. Methods: Five hundred forty-five high-risk infants with an immediate family history of asthma and allergies were prospectively randomized into intervention or

100.

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Current reviews of allergy and clinical immunology

Authors: L. Karla Arruda, et al.

Asthma and allergy are the most common diseases associated with cockroach infestation of houses in the United States and other parts of the world. Sensitization and exposure to cockroach allergens is associated with increased asthma morbidity in the United States, especially among lower socioeconomic groups, including African American and Hispanic populations. Exposure to cockroach allergens in the first 3 months of life has been associated with repeated wheezing and asthma. The principal domes

101.

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Reducing relative humidity is a practical way to control dust mites and their allergens in homes in temperate climates

Authors: Larry G. Arlian, et al.

Background: Maintaining a relative humidity (RH) of less than 50% is one recommendation for reducing numbers of house dust mites and their allergens in homes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether, in a humid temperate climate, indoor RH could be sufficiently lowered to control dust mites and their allergens. Methods: During a period spanning 2 humid summers (May 1998 to October 1999), dust mite and allergen densities were determined in 3 groups of homes. One group (lo

102.

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Abatement of cockroach allergens (Bla g 1 and Bla g 2) in low-income, urban housing: Month 12 continuation results

Authors: Samuel J. Arbes, et al.

Background: In the first 6 months of this previously published, randomized trial, the combined intervention of occupant education, insecticide bait application, and professional cleaning significantly reduced cockroach numbers and Bla g 1 allergen levels in inner-city homes. Objective: This continuation study investigated whether the cockroach allergen reductions achieved by month 6 could be maintained through month 12 with insecticide application alone. Methods: Because we had agreed to plac

103.

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Abatement of cockroach allergen (Bla g 1) in low-income, urban housing: A randomized controlled trial

Authors: Samuel J. Arbes, et al.

Background: Clinically relevant reductions in exposure to cockroach allergen, an important risk factor for asthma in inner-city households, have proven difficult to achieve in intervention trials. Objective: This study investigated a method for the abatement of cockroach allergen in low-income, urban homes. The goal was to reduce mean Bla g 1 concentrations below the previously proposed thresholds for allergic sensitization and asthma morbidity. Methods: A prerandomized, nonmasked trial with 1

104.

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Early exposure to allergen: Is this the cat’s meow, or are we barking up the wrong tree?

Authors: Andrea J. Apter

Several recent studies have suggested that exposure to cat and dog allergen in infancy is protective against the subsequent risk of allergic sensitization and asthma. The methodologic problems to be overcome in clinical research addressing these hypotheses are complex. Appreciation of these studies requires an assessment of the design and adequacy of variables measuring exposures, outcomes, and confounders. It includes understanding the role of effect modification. This article discusses some o

105.

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Evaluation of materials used for bedding encasement: Effect of pore size in blocking cat and dust mite allergen

Authors: John W.Vaughan, et al.

Background: Mattress and pillow encasings are recommended for patients allergic to dust mites. Many encasements block allergen and are vapor permeable but do not allow free passage of air through the material. Recently, breathable fabrics made from tightly woven synthetic fibers or nonwoven synthetics have been recommend as encasements. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a method for testing encasement materials made of breathable fabrics. Methods: Dust samples containing a k

106.

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Quantitation of the major fungal allergens, Alt a 1 and Asp f 1, in commercial allergenic products

Authors: Lisa Vailes, et al.

Background: Alternaria is one of the most important fungi associated with allergic disease, whereas Aspergillus fumigatus is involved in a broad spectrum of pulmonary diseases. Currently, fungal extracts used for diagnosis in the United States are unstandardized, and their allergenic content cannot be compared directly. Objective: The goal of this study was to compare the variability of major allergen levels among US allergenic products derived from fungi: specifically, Alt a 1 levels in Altern

107.

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Mite allergen (Der p 1) is not only carried on mite feces

Authors: Sandra De Lucca, Richard Sporik, Timothy J. O’Meara and Euan R.Tovey

Exposure to allergens derived from house dust mites (eg, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) is considered an important factor in the development and exacerbation of asthma. In cultures, more than 95% of mite allergen Der p 1 was associated with mite feces (mean diameter of 22 ± 6 mm; range, 10 to 40 mm).1 Domestic air sampling in bedrooms during dust disturbance showed that greater than 80% of detectable Der p 1 was associated with particles larger than 10 mm and only a small proportion with parti

108.

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House dust mite allergen in US beds: Results from the first National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing

Authors: Samuel J. Arbes, et al.

Background: Although exposure to house dust mite allergen is a major risk factor for allergic sensitization and asthma, nationwide estimates of dust mite allergen levels in US homes have not been reported. Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of dust mite allergen in beds of US homes and to identify predictors of dust mite allergen concentration. Methods: Data were obtained from the first National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing, a cross-sectional survey