Asthma in the desert: spectrum of the sensitizing aeroallergens

Ezeamuzie, Charles I.; Thomson, M.S.; Al-Ali, S.; Dowaisan, A.; Khan, M.; Hijazi, Z

doi:10.1034/j.1398-9995.2000.00375.x

Cited by 75 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Differences in the rate of positive SPT can be due to various factors such as number of allergens tested, climatic region and age of patients. With regard to optimum growing conditions, including high humidity for molds (28,29), Unexpectedly, this particular allergy was also found in hot and dry regions, like Saudi Arabia (6) and Kuwait (9,30), It might be associated with increasing the use of air conditioners inside the houses which make good environment for molds to grow and increase exposure to their allergens (26,28).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prevalence of Fungal Allergens in Respiratory Allergic Patients in Ahvaz City, Southwest Iran

Shakurnia

Assarehzadegan

Amini³

et al. 2013

Jundishapur J Microbiol

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Background: Fungi are ubiquitous in our environment and they are one of the important causes of allergic diseases. Identification of the most common aeroallergens to which patients are sensitized in a specific area is important in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of skin reactivity to common fungal allergens and total IgE in patients with allergic rhinitis in Ahvaz city. Patients and Methods:In this cross sectional study, 295 volunteers with the signs and symptoms of allergic diseases who referred to the Khuzestan Jahad Daneshgahi Medical Center in Ahvaz during 2010 were investigated. All patients were subjected to skin prick test (SPT) with common allergenic extracts. Data were analyzed by SPSS-18 software using Chi square test. Results: Seventy subjects, comprising 23.7% of the study group had positive skin test to at least one of the fungal allergens. The prevalence rate of sensitivity to fungal allergens was as follow: Cephalosporin 11.5%; mold mix 9.8%; Penicillium mix 9.5%; Alternaria mix 8.1%; and Aspergillus 5.1%. Mean total IgE in patients with SPT was significantly higher than in patients without any positive skin prick test (251 vs. 125 IU/mL, P = 0.001). There was no statistical difference in the prevalence of sensitization to these allergens between two sexes; whereas, 15-35 age groups had significantly higher rates of allergy to fungal allergens (P = 0.047). Conclusions: Fungal sensitization is a relatively common finding among patients with allergic rhinitis. Elimination or reduction of mold exposure in allergic patients is of special consideration and measures to reduce environmental factors which facilitate mold growth and proliferation are very important.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Molds are ubiquitous in our environment and are common allergens in allergic diseases. Mold spores can be found in outdoor or indoor environments, but exposure can also occur by having contact with saprophytic species or by ingestion of edible mushrooms (8)(9)(10)(11)(12).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Fungal Allergens in Respiratory Allergic Patients in Ahvaz City, Southwest Iran

Shakurnia

Assarehzadegan

Amini³

et al. 2013

Jundishapur J Microbiol

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“…Chang et al [96] reported the effect of sandstorms on allergic rhinitis in residents of Taipei, Taiwan, revealing that subjects exposed to sandstorms developed allergic rhinitis with a prevalence that was prominent in 19% of cases. Some of the rhinitis-and asthma-causing allergens, for example plant and grass pollens, fungal spores, molds, dust mites, anthropogenic emissions, and organic detritus, are also found in desert dusts [97][98][99].…”

Section: Desert Dust Associated With Asthma and Rhinitismentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Review of Global Desert Dust and Associated Human Health Effects

et al. 2016

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Dust storms and sandy dust events originating in arid and semi-arid areas can transport particulate material, pollutants, and potential transport long distances from their sources. Exposure to desert dust particles is generally acknowledged to endanger human health. However, most studies have examined anthropogenic particulate sources, with few studies considering contributions from natural desert dust. A systematic literature review was undertaken using the ISI Web of Knowledge and PubMed databases with the objective of identifying all studies presenting results on the potential health impact from desert dust particles across the world. This review reveals an imbalance between the areas most exposed to dust and the areas most studied in terms of health effects. Among the human health effects of dust storms are mortality and morbidity, arising from respiratory system, circulatory system, and other diseases. We summarize the quantitative results of current scientific health research and possible pathological mechanisms, and describe some of the many challenges related to understanding health effects from exposures to desert dust particles. Overall, for respiratory and circulatory mortality, both positive and negative associations have been reported for PM 10 of desert dust, but only a positive relationship was reported between PM 2.5-10 and mortality, and a positive relationship was also reported between PM 2.5 and human mortality. Future pathological studies should continue to focus on those mechanisms causing the most harmful effect of desert dust on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. More attention should also be paid to the association between desert dust and the morbidity of other diseases, such as those affecting the reproductive system and nervous system.

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“…Several studies (Charpin et al, 1988;Ezeamuzie et al, 2000) examined the link between asthmatics and allergens in environments with dry (RH< 40%) conditions. Ezeamuzie et al Three studies (Infante-Rivard, 1993;Smedje et al, 1997a;Kovesi et al, 2007) focused on understanding the effects of environmental conditions on young asthmatics and children with a history of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).…”

Section: Asthma and Respiratory Infectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 3 details the ages of human subjects in health, comfort, and IEQ tests. A few studies considered children under the age of 18, using surveys or environmental sampling in the homes of children with asthma (Infante-Rivard, 1993;Ezeamuzie et al, 2000;Kovesi et al, 2007) and dust mite allergies (Munir et al, 1995). Smedje et al, 1997a surveyed Swedish teenagers (13-14 years old) and took measurements in public school classrooms.…”

Section: Knowledge Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Update of the scientific evidence for specifying lower limit relative humidity levels for comfort, health, and indoor environmental quality in occupied spaces (RP-1630)

Derby

Hamehkasi

Eckels

et al. 2016

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

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Nearly 600 papers were located in citation and keyword searches regarding the effects of humidity on comfort, health, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Of these, around 70 papers reported the effects of low humidity (RH≤40%) and were analyzed in detail. Information in some categories was well chronicled, while other categories had significant knowledge gaps.Low humidity decreased house dust mite allergens. Due to different envelopes, generalizations could not be made for all bacteria and viruses. However, lower humidity increased virus survival for influenza. For comfort, low humidity had little effect on thermal comfort, but skin dryness, eye irritation, and static electricity increased as humidity decreased. For IEQ, low humidity had non-uniform effects on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and perceived indoor air quality. Across many low humidity studies, ventilation rates and exposure times were noted as confounding variables. A majority of studies that used human subjects utilized exposure times of three hours or less with adult subjects; few studies used children, adolescents, or elderly subjects.

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Asthma in the desert: spectrum of the sensitizing aeroallergens

Abstract: These results show that even in a desert environment, pollens and house-dust allergens may be important sensitizing allergens. They also illustrate how practices that "green" the desert can affect public health.

Cited by 75 publications

References 21 publications

Prevalence of Fungal Allergens in Respiratory Allergic Patients in Ahvaz City, Southwest Iran

Prevalence of Fungal Allergens in Respiratory Allergic Patients in Ahvaz City, Southwest Iran

A Systematic Review of Global Desert Dust and Associated Human Health Effects

Update of the scientific evidence for specifying lower limit relative humidity levels for comfort, health, and indoor environmental quality in occupied spaces (RP-1630)

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