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Dog Allergens (dog + allergen)
Selected AbstractsConcentrations of domestic mite and pet allergens and endotoxin in PalestineALLERGY, Issue 6 2004N. El Sharif Background:, A few studies have compared indoor allergens and endotoxin levels between urban and rural settings as important determinants for asthma and atopy in children. However, no study was done in the Middle East or investigated refugee camps. Methods:, As part of a nested case,control study in Ramallah in 2001, we measured house dust mite and pet allergens, as well as endotoxin in dust collected from 110 children's mattresses and living room floors. Results:, Geometric mean (GM) concentrations of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p1) antigen were 4.48 ,g/g in mattress dust and 1.23 ,g/g floor dust. The highest Der p1 levels were seen in refugee camps. Concentrations of Dermatophagoides farinae antigen (Der f1) were much lower (<0.08 ,g/g dust). Concentrations of cat allergen (Fel d1) were highest in villages, and those of dog allergen (Can f1) were highest in mattresses from cities and in floor dust from refugee camps. GM of endotoxin levels were 25.7 EU/mg in mattress dust and 49 EU/mg dust in floor dust. Conclusions:, Concentrations of Der p1 were high compared to Western European countries, but were lower compared to UK and Australia. Levels of pet allergens were lower than in Western Europe. Endotoxin levels were higher compared to developed countries. Indoor environmental factors such as dampness seemed to be important determinants for allergen and endotoxin, but living habits such as lack of mattress cover appeared unimportant. [source] Assessment of recombinant dog allergens Can f 1 and Can f 2 for the diagnosis of dog allergyCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 10 2004S. Saarelainen Summary Background The use of recombinant allergens for the diagnosis and immunotherapy of allergy may offer several advantages over allergen extracts. Objective To produce recombinant dog allergens Can f 1 and Can f 2 in Pichia pastoris yeast and to assess their suitability for the diagnosis of dog allergy. Methods Clinically diagnosed dog-allergic patients' and healthy non-atopic dog owners' reactivities against recombinant Can f 1 and Can f 2 and commercial dog epithelial extract were studied by a panel of methods including skin prick test (SPT), ELISA and IgE immunoblotting. Results Recombinant Can f 1 and Can f 2 were found immunologically functional: they bound dog-allergic patients' IgE in immunoblotting and inhibited specifically the binding of IgE to their natural counterparts in the dog allergen extract. Moreover, patients' IgE reactivity in immunoblotting to natural Can f 1 and their SPT with the recombinant allergen were perfectly concordant (, coefficient 1.0, P<0.001). The concordance was slightly lower with recombinant Can f 2 (, coefficient 0.92, P<0.001). A lower number of dog-allergic patients, 52%, reacted against Can f 1 than previously reported. About one-third of the patients reacted to Can f 2. In immunoblotting, the highest prevalence of reactivity, 60%, was directed to an 18 kDa component. Aminoterminal sequencing showed this to be a previously unidentified allergenic protein. Conclusions The recombinant allergens can be used reliably to identify Can f 1 and Can f 2-sensitized individuals. However, the two allergens are insufficient as reagents for diagnosing dog allergy. [source] Cat and dog allergens , can intervention studies solve their inscrutable riddle?CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 9 2003C. Almqvist First page of article [source] | ||||||||||