PEDIATRICS Vol. 104 No. 2 Supplement August 1999, pp. 360
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Purpose of the Study To investigate the levels of major indoor allergens in the settled dust and air in hospitals and determine the effects of regular vacuuming on allergen levels in hospital chairs.
Methods
House dust mite (Der p 1), cat (Fel d 1), dog (Can f 1), and cockroach
(Bla g 2) allergen levels were measured in dust collected from 83 carpeted floors, 69 mattresses, and 42 upholstered chairs in 14 British
hospitals. The hospitals included six private and eight public
hospitals that provided both adult and pediatric care. Airborne samples
were also collected from the outpatient department of one of the
participating hospitals. Samples were collected using standard
techniques and allergen levels were measured by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assays (ELISA). To compare the effects of