Indoor Allergens Assessing and Controlling Adverse Health Effects (1993) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 34-43
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From page 34... ...
The quality of indoor air, therefore, is at least as important to health as the quality of outdoor air, and in recent years concerns have increased about possible adverse health effects from indoor allergens (i.e., biological or chemical substances that cause allergic reactions)
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From page 35... ...
But other agents and potential health effects are beginning to receive increasing consideration, and among these are the indoor allergens. Evidence is mounting that allergy has a fundamental, causal relation ....._ it: Aft ?
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From page 36... ...
The number of Americans so sensitized is fourfold more than the number with hypertension; 50 million people in this country will have a disease related to allergy at some time in their life. With increasing levels of interest and concern about the potential health effects of indoor air, the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation, in conjunction with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and three of the institutes at the National Institutes of Health the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-requested that the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
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From page 37... ...
Yet in spite of increasing knowledge of the mechanisms of allergic disease and of the agents that cause sensitization and symptoms, we have modified indoor environments in ways that may contribute significantly to exposure to these agents and to the development of allergic disease. For example, we have adopted central heating on a broad scale, which means that we heat all parts of our houses, even when they are not occupied.
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From page 38... ...
Over the past 25 years, a steady increase in our knowledge of the biological sources (sensitizing agents) that give rise to immunological sensitization has allowed us-to identify specific health risks and to establish methods for measuring some of the indoor agents that are thought to cause hypersensitivity disease (i.e., "allergies"~.
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From page 39... ...
. It is the common type of allergic reaction caused by IgE antibody and results in the common allergic diseases such as hay fever, allergic asthma, allergic urticaria, and the less common but potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction.
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From page 40... ...
40 ;^ so By v 4~ As A)
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From page 41... ...
(B) Upon subsequent, repeated exposures, this sensitized individual will synthesize increased amounts of IgE, thus becoming hypersensitive, although mild allergic symptoms may or may not be present.
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From page 42... ...
that are caused by the genetic propensity to produce IgE antibodies to environmental allergens (predominantly from pollens, molds, dust mites, animals, and foods) encountered through inhalation, ingestion, and possibly skin contact.
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From page 43... ...
The recommendations focus primarily on the need to improve awareness and education, and as such are also relatively inexpensive and easy to implement compared to the research agenda items. The research agenda focuses on the longer term, more expensive, and more technical aspects of fundamental research and data collection.
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