Aerobiology of common environmental allergens: sizes of allergen carrying particles
Spieksma, F.T.
Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology 11(1): 93-94
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-877X PMID: 8216565 Document Number: 413786
This article briefly reviews the aerobiology of common environmental allergens, with particular reference to the size of allergen-carrying particles. House dust mite, cat and pollen allergens are considered separately. House dust mite allergen carrying products are faecal balls measuring between 10 and 40 micro m. Their size does not allow them to remain airborne for long, unless there is continuous air turbulence. This has been demonstrated for the Der p II allergen, and in the absence of disturbance the amount of airborne Der p II is rather low. Air sampling with a cascade impactor has shown that Der p II is carried mainly by particle size fractions 15-2 and 5-1 micro m.