Pets and vermin are associated with high endotoxin levels in house dust

Abstract

Keeping a dog or a cat in the home is consistent with higher exposure to endotoxin and might therefore contribute to the lower risk of atopy in later life.

Reproducibility of allergen, endotoxin and fungi measurements in the indoor environment

“…Results on biocontaminant levels of the first home visit of the INGA study have been published previously (Fahlbusch et al, 1999Koch et al, 2000;Heinrich et al, 2001;Bischof et al, 2002;Gro et al, 2001). Here we present the results on repeated measurements of biocontaminants collected in the same homes.…”

“…The study population consisted of two parts corresponding to subsets of participants from two other studies: 362 adults living in Erfurt or Hamburg who had participated within the German centers of the European Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) (Burney et al, 1994) and 415 school children living in three regions of former East Germany (Zerbst, Bitterfeld, Hettstedt) who participated in a study of air pollution effects and determinants of allergic diseases . Details of the selection of the study population have been described elsewhere (Richter et al, 2000;Heinrich et al, 2001). Subjects who had moved between the first and the second home visit were excluded from the analyses (n ¼ 32).…”

Nonallergic respiratory morbidity improved along with a decline of traditional air pollution levels: a review

“…Significantly increased concentrations were linked to: carpets in the living room, keeping a dog inside, use of the home by four or more persons, use of the living room for w180 hr?week -1 , lower frequency of vacuum cleaning and dust cleaning, and presence of mould spots during the past 12 months. Endotoxin concentrations in living-room floor dust sampled in homes without pets and vermin were lower than those sampled in homes with pets or vermin [24]. Endotoxin concentrations were higher in old buildings and in the lower storey of the dwelling, and were associated with longer occupancy in the apartment, high utilisation of the apartment during the sampling period, infrequent vacuum cleaning of the carpets, and an indifferent attitude to ventilation and keeping cats and dogs [25].…”

Influence of dog ownership and high endotoxin on wheezing and atopy during infancy

“…21,22 Previous investigations suggest that the presence of pets and especially dogs is associated with reduced risk of asthma and aeroallergen sensitization in children. 20,23-25 However, many of these studies that assessed effects of pet ownership did not concomitantly assess indoor endotoxin levels in house dust.…”