engleski

Endotoxin and mite allegen levels in house dust from two geographic areas of Croatia

Endotoxin and dust mites are important indoor pollutants related with prevalence of allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to establish endotoxin and mite allergen levels in urban house dust samples from two geographic areas of Croatia, inland area with continental climate and coastal area with Mediterranean climate, and to evaluate the relation between these two indoor pollutants. Endotoxin levels were measured using end-point chromogenic LAL bioassay in 25 urban floor house dust samples from inland and 21 from coastal area. Pyroglyphid mite allergens Der p 1 and Der f 1 were measured using immunoenzymatic test (Dustscreen TM test, Switzerland) in subsample of 13 house dust samples from inland and 18 from coastal area. Endotoxin levels ranged 6-200 EU/mg in inland house dust samples, and 2-46 EU/mg in coastal house dust samples. Endotoxin levels were significantly higher in samples from inland than coastal area (median values 28 and 15 EU/mg, respectively ; P=0.0139, Mann-Whitney U-test). Der p 1 levels ranged 0-10 &micro ; g/g in inland house dust samples and 0-18 &micro ; g/g in samples from coastal area. Der f 1 levels ranged 0-9 &micro ; g/g in inland samples, and 0-4 &micro ; g/g in samples from coastal area. Der p 1 and Der f 1 levels were similar in house dust samples from inland and coastal areas (median Der p 1 levels 0.05 and 0, respectively median Der f 1 levels 0.25 and 1&micro ; g/g, respectively). There were no observed correlations between endotoxin and each mite allergen levels in analysed house dust samples from both regions ( valid N=31, P=0.298, Spearman rank correlation). This study established difference in indoor endotoxin exposure between two geographic areas of Croatia. Our further invetigations will show possible impact of this finding on prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases.

endotoxin; dust mites; house dust; LAL-test

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