Endotoxin and house dust mite allergen levels on synthetic and buckwheat pillows.
Pillows are known to contain significant levels of indoor allergens and endotoxin, that are of importance to house dust mite sensitized asthmatics. Buckwheat pillows are commonly used in Korea. We studied the levels of the house dust mite allergen, Der f 1, and endotoxin on new synthetic and buckwheat pillows and their accumulation over three months. Endotoxin levels were significantly higher on new buckwheat pillows compared to synthetic pillows; geometric mean levels (95% CI) were 60,950 EU/g (30,270-122,700) and 4,887 EU/g (2,570-9,311) respectively (p<0.001). No Der f 1 was detected on the new pillows. After three months Der f 1 levels were similar on buckwheat and synthetic pillows, geometric mean levels (95% CI) were 1.16 microg/g (0.02-8.13) and 1.08 microg/g (0.19-1.68) respectively. These results indicate that buckwheat pillows are a source of very high endotoxin levels that may be of relevance to asthma severity of atopic asthmatics.
Genome Research Center for Allergy and Respiratory Diseases, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Korea.
Hae-Seon
HS
Nam
Choon-Sik
CS
Park
Julian
J
Crane
Rob
R
Siebers
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology*; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D040001:Dermatophagoides farinae / Q000276:immunology; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D019612:Fagopyrum; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea
D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D004731:Endotoxins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C451159:Dermatophagoides farinae antigen f 1