title: [Preliminary survey on concentration of indoor allergens derived from dust mites in residential homes in Shanghai].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the level of indoor dust mite allergens in residential homes in Shanghai.
  
  
  METHODS
  The allergenic proteins, Dff F3 and Der f III (well known allergen) from the whole culture extract of Dermatophagoides farinae were purified by chromatography and sedimentation techniques. Allergic activities of both proteins were identified by skin prick test and RAST. After preparation of specific IgG anti-Dff F3, anti-Der f III, and extraction of indoor allergens from 200 indoor dust samples collected from residential homes, the allergen concentration was measured by sandwich ELISA. Allergen level was expressed in geometric mean and range, the analysis of variance (ANOV) was used to determine the level of significance between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dff F3 and Der f III were demonstrated strongly allergic activities, which can be highly recognized with IgE from sera of the mite-allergic patients with asthma. In the sampled 200 homes, the proportion of homes with Dff F3 level of >10 microg/g was 57.0%, 29.5% for group of 2-10 microg/g, and 13.5% for group of <2 microg/g. The proportion of homes with Der f III level of >10 microg/g was 53.5%, 32.0% for group of 2-10 microg/g, 14.5% for group of <2 microg/g.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selected residential homes in Shanghai were found more likely to have high level of dust mite allergens. Dff F3 was identified as the stronger allergic fraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Shanghai Medical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Zuo-hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Shi-wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng-xia
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shu-jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yu-liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D002681:China; D040001:Dermatophagoides farinae / Q000276:immunology*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D004391:Dust; D007073:Immunoglobulin E