Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2013 Sep;5(5):295-300. 10.4168/aair.2013.5.5.295.

Association Between Pet Ownership and the Sensitization to Pet Allergens in Adults With Various Allergic Diseases

• Park YB
• Mo EK
• Lee JY
• Kim JH
• Kim CH
• Hyun IG
• Choi JH

• KMID: 2260810
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2013.5.5.295

Abstract

PURPOSE
As pet ownership increases, sensitization to animal allergens due to domestic exposure is a concern. Sensitization to animal allergens may occur from indirect exposure, as well as direct ownership of animals. However, there have been conflicting results regarding the association between pet ownership and sensitization to animal allergens in adults.
METHODS
In total, 401 patients with various allergic diseases were enrolled in this study. We performed skin prick tests with 55 common inhalant and food allergens, including dog, cat, and rabbit allergens. A mean wheal diameter of 3 mm or greater was considered a positive reaction. The exposure modality to each animal allergen was investigated using a questionnaire and included present ownership, past ownership, occupational exposure, occasional exposure, contact with pet owner, and no contact. Present ownership, past ownership, occupational, and occasional exposure were regarded as direct exposure.
RESULTS
The sensitization rate for animal allergens was 20.4% for dog, 15.0% for cat, and 9.0% for rabbit. Direct exposure to dogs (72.0%) was significantly higher than that of other animals (18.4% for cats and 16.7% for rabbits), whereas 'no contact' with cats (78.3%) and rabbits (83.3%) was significantly higher than with dogs (26.8%; P<0.0001). Independent risk factors for sensitization to animal allergens were sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (OR=2.4, P=0.052), Dermatophagoides farinae (OR=5.1, P<0.001), cat (OR=4.4, P<0.0001), and direct exposure to dogs (OR=1.5, P=0.029) for dog, and sensitization to dog (OR=4.4, P<0.0001) and rabbit (OR=2.6, P=0.036) for cats. Finally, for rabbits, the independent risk factor was sensitization to Alternaria (OR=6.0, P<0.002).
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that direct exposure to dogs contributes to the sensitization to dog allergens in patients with allergic diseases, whereas indirect exposure to cats and rabbits may induce sensitization to each animal's allergen.

Keyword

Cats; dogs; rabbits; pets; ownership; sensitization

MeSH Terms

Adult
Allergens
Alternaria
Animals
Cats
Dermatophagoides farinae
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Dogs
Humans
Occupational Exposure
Ownership
Pets
Rabbits
Risk Factors
Skin
Surveys and Questionnaires
Allergens

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Questionnaire regarding pet ownership and exposure modality. The questionnaire was modified from a previous report by Liccardi et al.7

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  Fig. 2 The sensitization rate of common inhalant allergens in the study subjects. Dp, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; Df, Dermatophagoides farinae.

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