Environmental allergens and asthma morbidity in low-income children.
Asthma morbidity is high in inner-city children in the United States, which may be related in part to increased allergens in poorly maintained housing. This study examined asthma morbidity in relation to mold, cockroach, dust mite, and cat allergens in the homes of 61 low-income Chicago children with asthma. Children exposed to higher levels of Penicillium in the bedroom had more frequent asthma symptoms, whereas those exposed to higher levels of cockroach allergen in the bedroom had a higher number of asthma symptoms. Respiratory infections confounded the association of cockroach allergen with number of asthma symptoms.
Turyk
Mary
M
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, 60612, USA. mturyk1@uic.edu
Curtis
Luke
L
Scheff
Peter
P
Contraras
Alicia
A
Coover
Lenore
L
Hernandez
Eva
E
Freels
Sally
S
Persky
Victoria
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000276:immunology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D009017:Morbidity; D010407:Penicillium / Q000276:immunology; D011203:Poverty
D000485:Allergens