Allergen detection from 11 fungal species before and after germination.

Background: Allergens dispersed by airborne fungal spores play an important but poorly understood role in the underlying cause and exacerbation of asthma. Previous studies suggest that spores of Alternaria and Aspergillus release greater quantities of allergen after germination than before germination. It is unknown whether this is true of other allergenic fungi.

Comparison of vacuuming procedures for reservoir dust mite allergen on carpeted floors.

Allergen concentration in dust collected from a single square meter of carpet has been widely used as a proxy for aeroallergen exposure in a room. However, little is known about the horizontal distribution of allergens in carpeting or whether sampling several smaller sites might better approximate the average level. Eight bedrooms and 4 lounge rooms were divided into squares of 0.