Detection of mouse and rat urinary aeroallergens with an improved ELISA.
BACKGROUND
Risk analysis of laboratory animal work presupposes allergen monitoring with sensitive methods. Commercial ELISA kits have recently become available for the detection of mouse (Mus m 1) and rat (Rat n 1) urinary allergen from settled dust samples and air samples with high allergen levels.


OBJECTIVE
Our aims were to enhance the sensitivities of the commercial ELISA kits for low aeroallergen levels (less than 1 ng/m(3)) and to test these methods with air samples collected from an animal facility.


METHODS
Personal and stationary air samples were collected from an animal facility during various tasks of laboratory animal work and from various premises of the animal facility.


RESULTS
The sensitivities of the ELISA assays were improved with a careful choice of analysis parameters and reagents. The detection limits of 0.1 ng/m(3) for Mus m 1 and 0.8 ng/m(3) for Rat n 1 were established. The sensitized assays enabled detection of mouse and rat aeroallergens also from premises in which animals or dirty cages were not present during sampling.


CONCLUSIONS
These sensitive assays will help to perform risk assessment in laboratory animal work. However, there remains a lack of standardized analytic procedures and occupational exposure limits for laboratory animal allergens.
Korpi
Anne
A
Department of Environmental Sciences, Researech and Development Unit of Environmental Health, University of Kuopio, Bioteknia 2, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland.
Mäntyjärvi
Rauno
R
Rautiainen
Jaakko
J
Kaliste
Eila
E
Kalliokoski
Pentti
P
Renström
Anne
A
Pasanen
Anna-Liisa
AL
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000485:Allergens / Q000652:urine*; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory / Q000652:urine; D035843:Biomedical Research; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D000485:Allergens