Abstract
Exposure to house dust is known to cause and exacerbate allergic diseases in many patients. However, house dust contains many kinds of allergens and the amount of each allergen varies between houses. Both in Japan and internationally, mite allergens are one of the most important allergens as a cause of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Many studies have shown that increased mite allergen levels in indoor environments is related to the development and exacerbation of asthma. Internationally, cockroach allergens are regarded to be as important respiratory allergens as mite allergens. However, in Japan, cockroach allergens are hardly detected in house dust, and the sensitization rate to cockroach allergens among Japanese allergic patients is low. Some research into insects in house dust in Japan has shown that Psocoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera are detected at a high frequency. Therefore, these insects allergens are thought to have more impact as a cause of allergic disease than cockroaches.
