title: Air-conditioner filters enriching dust mites allergen.
abstract: We detected the concentration of dust mites allergen (Der f1 & Der p1) in the air of different places before and after the starting of air-conditioners in Wuhu City, Anhui, China, and to discuss the relation between the dust mites allergen in air-conditioner filters and the asthma attack. The dust samples were collected from the air-conditioner filters in dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households respectively. Concentrations of dust mites major group allergen 1 (Der f 1, Der p1) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the dust mite immune activities were determined by dot-ELISA. The concentration of Der f1 in dining rooms, shopping malls, hotels and households was 1.52 μg/g, 1.24 μg/g, 1.31 μg/g and 1.46 μg/g respectively, and the concentration of Der p1 in above-mentioned places was 1.23 μg/g, 1.12 μg/g, 1.16 μg/g and 1.18 μg/g respectively. The concentration of Der f1 & Der p1 in air was higher after the air-conditioners starting one hours later, and the difference was significant (P<0.05, respectively). Additionally, dot-ELISA findings revealed that the allergen extracted from the dust was capable of reacting with IgE from the sera of asthma mice allergic to dust mites. The study concludes that air-conditioner filters can enrich dust mites major group allergen, and the allergens can induce asthma. The air-conditioner filters shall be cleaned or replaced regularly to prevent or reduce accumulation of the dust mites and its allergens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Basic Medicine, Wannan Medical University Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China ; Collede of Life Science, Anhui Normal University Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Basic Medicine, Wannan Medical University Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China ; Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science & Technology Huainan 232001, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Chaopin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science & Technology Huainan 232001, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science & Technology Huainan 232001, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Earth and Environment, Anhui University of Science & Technology Huainan 232001, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Haibin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Basic Medicine, Wannan Medical University Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Jidong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Basic Medicine, Wannan Medical University Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Basic Medicine, Wannan Medical University Wuhu 241002, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Beibei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
keywords: Acaridia; Astigmatina; air-conditioner filters; dust mite; major group allergen 1