title: Indoor Allergen Levels and Household Distributions in Nine Cities Across China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chinese allergic subjects have high levels of sensitization to house dust mite (HDM) and other indoor allergens. This study quantifies common indoor allergen levels in Chinese households.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dust samples were collected from nine cities. Major allergens Der p 1 and Der f 1 from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae, and specific antigens of Blomia tropicalis, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Acarus siro, and cockroach species Blattella germanica and Periplaneta americana were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HDM allergens were found in dust samples from bedding in 95% of the Chinese households. The median levels varied from <0.006 to 9.2 µg/g of dust, depending on the city. The percentages of households having HDM allergen levels associated with the risk of developing allergy sensitization and asthma were 65% and 25%, respectively. Specific antigens of the storage mite and cockroach were only found in samples from the southern and tropical regions of China. Levels of mite allergens were generally higher in samples from bedding compared to samples from the living room, even for storage mites, whereas levels of cockroach antigens were higher in the living room samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HDM allergens are present in bedding dust samples from most Chinese households. Cities in southern and central China have relatively high levels of HDM major allergens compared to cities in northern and western China. Antigens of storage mites and cockroaches are not as common as HDM allergens.
authors.affiliation: Research Asia Pacific, ALK, Guangzhou 510230, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yi Wu
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Research Asia Pacific, ALK, Guangzhou 510230, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Xu Xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, the Affiliated Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: De Yu
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510230, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Chun Qing
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: ENT Department of Wuhan Union Hospital, Wuhan 430012, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Jian Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: ENT Department of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Luo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Allergology Department of Shenyang 202 Hospital, Shenyang 110055, Liaoning, China.
authors.forename: Qing Yu
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Asthmatic Children's Immunotherapy Center of People's Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou 570311, Hainan, China.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, China.
authors.forename: En Mei
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Science and Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75105, Sweden.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Norback
authors.affiliation: Research Asia Pacific, ALK, Guangzhou 510230, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gjesing
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510230, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Nan Shan
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Research Asia Pacific, ALK, Guangzhou 510230, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: D Michael
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Spangfort
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000485:Allergens / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D002681:China; D003058:Cockroaches; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D006798:Housing; D039981:Pyroglyphidae; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust
keywords: D. farinae; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; House dust mite; Indoor allergen; Storage mite