Nine in 10 homes have three or more allergens
Research we're watching
Some new research shows good reason to focus on reducing the number of indoor allergens in your home. A new study published in the Nov. 30, 2017, issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that more than 90% of nearly 7,000 homes studied had three or more detectable allergens, from a list of eight common allergens. In addition, some 73% of homes had one allergen found at levels researchers defined as "elevated." The researchers used data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The eight allergens were cat, dog, cockroach, mouse, rat, mold, and two types of dust mites. Factors that led to higher levels of indoor allergens included pets and pests. Certain types of homes were also more likely to have higher allergen levels, including older homes, rental homes, mobile homes, and homes in rural areas.
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