ABSTRACT
This chapter describes specific indoor allergens, highlighting their roles in asthma, and discusses strategies for their avoidance and environmental remediation. Exposure to the cockroach allergen in the home has also been associated with incident doctor-diagnosed asthma and recurrent wheezing. Research is ongoing regarding the association of the cockroach allergen and asthma morbidity in the school setting. In the Boston Home Allergens and Asthma Study, which included 500 infants of atopic parents, a significant association was seen between current mouse exposure and current wheeze through age 7. The most common allergen sensitization was grass; however, a relative risk analysis demonstrated that sensitivity to house-dust mites, cats, dogs, and indoor mold was a highly significant risk factor associated with current asthma whereas sensitivity to grass was not a significant risk factor. The identification of urban allergen exposures such as cockroaches and mice, and their associations with allergen sensitization and asthma morbidity led to intervention strategies termed integrative pest management.
