High-efficiency particulate arrest–filter vacuum cleaners increase personal cat allergen exposure in homes with cats

Background: On the basis of experimental chamber studies, vacuum cleaners with double-thickness bags and integral high-efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) air filters are claimed to reduce airborne allergen levels and are currently recommended to allergic patients. Objectives: The objective of this...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 2003-04, Vol.111 (4), p.784-787
Main Authors: Gore, Robin B., Durrell, Bethan, Bishop, Sophie, Curbishley, Lisa, Woodcock, Ashley, Custovic, Adnan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollution, Indoor
Allergens - analysis
Allergic diseases
Allergies
Animals
Atoms & subatomic particles
Biological and medical sciences
Cats - immunology
Dust
Efficiency
Environmental Exposure
Field study
Filtration
General aspects
Glycoproteins - analysis
Household Articles
Immunopathology
Medical sciences
Statistical methods
Vacuum
Vacuum cleaners
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Summary:Background: On the basis of experimental chamber studies, vacuum cleaners with double-thickness bags and integral high-efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) air filters are claimed to reduce airborne allergen levels and are currently recommended to allergic patients. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of vacuum cleaning on personal inhaled cat allergen exposure in homes with cats. Methods: Five unused new vacuum cleaners were compared with an old non-HEPA filter vacuum cleaner. Each vacuum cleaner was tested in an experimental chamber and in 5 homes with cats. Inhaled cat allergen was measured by nasal air sampling. Results: New vacuum cleaners failed to leak any allergen in the experimental chamber. There was a significant increase in inhaled cat allergen during vacuum cleaning in homes (F = 48.39, df = 1.4, P = .002) with no difference between the old vacuum cleaner and the unused new vacuum cleaners (5-fold and 3-fold increase compared to baseline, respectively; F = 0.005, df = 1.4, P = .95). Conclusions: The use of new HEPA-filter vacuum cleaners increases inhaled cat allergen in homes with cats. The use of HEPA-filter modern vacuum cleaners to reduce pet allergen exposure in the homes of pet owners should not be justified merely on the basis of experimental chamber data.
ISSN:0091-6749
1097-6825
DOI:10.1067/mai.2003.1378