Health impacts of second‐hand exposure to cat allergen Fel d 1 in infants

• Published in: Allergy (Copenhagen) 2003-02, Vol.58 (2), p.154-157
• Main Authors: Heissenhuber, A., Heinrich, J., Fahlbusch, B., Borte, M., Wichmann, H.‐E., Bolte, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollution, Indoor - adverse effects; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Allergic diseases; allergy; Animals; asthma; Biological and medical sciences; cat allergen; Cats; Cohort Studies; cohort study; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Family Health; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Germany - epidemiology; Glycoproteins - administration & dosage; Glycoproteins - adverse effects; Glycoproteins - immunology; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate - epidemiology; Hypersensitivity, Immediate - immunology; IgE sensitization; Immunization; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Immunopathology; Infant Welfare; Infant, Newborn; Male; Medical sciences; Multivariate Analysis; Respiratory and ent allergic diseases; Respiratory Sounds - etiology; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0105-4538; 1398-9995
• DOI: 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2003.00037.x

Background: Recent cross‐sectional studies suggested that highest sensitization prevalences occur with moderate cat allergen exposures. We aimed to assess the impact of moderate levels of second‐hand cat allergen exposure on the incidence of specific sensitization and wheezing in the framework of a birth cohort study. Therefore we restricted our analysis to infants without a cat at home since birth. Methods: At infant's age 3 months, cat allergen levels were measured in the mattress dust of 1840 families without cats. At age 2 years, serum IgE specific to Fel d 1 was analyzed. Incidence of wheezing apart from respiratory infection was assessed by questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) for the association between second‐hand cat allergen exposure and health outcomes. Results: Until age 2 years, 13 of 1301 infants (1%) were sensitized to cat allergen and 56 of 1492 infants (4%) had ever‐wheezing without infection. Early exposure to second‐hand cat allergen levels ≥ 1 µg/g dust increased substantially the risk for specific sensitization to Fel d 1 (OR 10.9, 95% CI 3.4–35.0) and ever‐wheeze without infection (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.9) at age 2 years. Conclusions: Second‐hand exposure to cat allergen in homes without cats is detrimental in terms of allergy development in infants.