Detection and quantification of new inhalant allergens, pharaoh ants, in indoor environments in Seoul, Korea

초록

We previously reported that wide spread house ants, pharaoh ants, can act as an important inhalant allergens and provoke respiratory allergic diseases. There is no information about the distribution of pharaoh ant allergens in living environment. This study was done to determine the amount of pharaoh ant allergens in indoor environment. Home visiting and floor dusts collection were performed at 3-month interval from April 2001 to January 2002 at 56 houses in Seoul. Pharaoh ant allergens in fine dusts were detected and quantified by ELISA inhibition, and pharaoh ant-sIgE was measured in residents’ sera by ELISA. Pharaoh ant allergens were detected in 10.7% of dust samples, and 35.7% houses had pharaoh ant allergens in at least one site. Detection rate of pharaoh ant allergens was significantly higher in houses that pharaoh ants were caught in sticky traps than in houses without visible ant, but significant amount of pharaoh ant allergens was also measured in about 20% of houses without caught ant. Level of pharaoh ant allergens showed seasonal variation with peak in autumn and winter. 11.5% of residents had pharaoh ant-sIgE. 19.6% of residents who lived in pharaoh ant allergen-detected houses had sIgE, but only 4.8% of residents in houses without pharaoh ant allergens showed sIgE responses. In conclusion, considerable level of pharaoh ant allergens is distributed in some urban indoor environment, and detection pattern of sIgE reflects exposure-response relationship.