title: Allergens on desktop surfaces in preschools and elementary schools of urban children with asthma.
abstract: Desktop dust has been studied as a source of food allergen, but not as a source of potential aeroallergen exposure. Thirty-six wiped samples from desktop surfaces were collected from preschools and schools. Samples were analyzed for detectable levels of common aeroallergens including Alternaria, cockroach, dog, dust mite, cat, mouse, and rat allergens by immunoassay. Mouse allergen was the most prevalent, detectable in 97.2% of samples. Cat allergen was detectable in 80.6% of samples, and dog allergen was detectable in 77.8% of samples. Other allergens were not as prevalent. Mouse was the only allergen that was highly correlated with settled floor dust collected from the same rooms (r = 0.721, P < 0.001). This is the first study to detect aeroallergens on desktop surfaces by using moist wipes. Allergens for mouse, cat, and dog were highly detectable in wipes with mouse desktop surface levels correlating with levels in vacuumed floor dust.
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.|Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Watcharoot
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kanchongkittiphon
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Friedlander
authors.affiliation: Indoor Biotechnologies Inc, Charlottesville, VA.
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: Indoor Biotechnologies Inc, Charlottesville, VA.
authors.forename: Eva-Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Head Start and Children's Services Action for Boston Community Development Inc., MA.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martirosyan
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Sachin N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Baxi
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.|Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Perdita
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Permaul
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gaffin
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Lianne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kopel
authors.affiliation: Channing Laboratory, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Chunxia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Carter R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.|Channing Laboratory, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Diane R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Phipatanakul
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004285:Dogs; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D012574:Schools; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust
keywords: allergen; asthma; desktop; inner-city children; school
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