House dust mite allergen levels in dust from schools with smooth and carpeted classroom floors

摘要

SummaryA study was conducted to investigate the levels of house dust mite allergenDer pI in classroom floor dust from 49 schools with smooth (n= 18) or carpeted (n= 31) floors. Schools were located in the city of Rotterdam (n= 29) and in a number of small communities in the Province of Gelderland (n= 20). Data on building characteristics of the schools were obtained. Dust samples were analysed forDer pI content, the major allergen of the house dust miteDermatophagoides pteronyssinus. The results showed that in schools with carpeted classroom floors, larger amounts of settled dust and higherDer pI levels either expressed as concentrations (in ng/g) or loadings (in ng/m2) were found than in schools with smooth classroom floors. However, the levels ofDer pI were considerably lower than in dust collected from floors in homes. Although theDer pI levels were low, effects of several building characteristics on the levels were found. Age of the floor cover, the number of classrooms in the school and the presence of damp spots in the building were related toDer pI concentrations and loadings mainly on carpeted floors. Remarkably, schools in the rural area contained significantly more dust andDer pI than schools in the urban area. We conclude that dust from carpeted classroom floors contains more house dust mite allergen than dust from smooth classroom floors, but much less than dust from floors in homes.