Asthma & Animal Dander, Cockroaches & Pollen

19 Jan

Asthma & Molds

Asthma, an inflammatory disorder of the airways, is one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions affecting Canadians. Physicians have diagnosed more than 2.3 million Canadians as being asthmatic—8.4 per cent of adults (Statistics Canada, 2009) and 13.4 per cent of Canadian children (Garner, 2008).

While the exact cause of asthma is unknown, it appears to result from a complex interaction of predisposing factors (tendency to have allergies), causal factors that may sensitize the airways (such as animal dander, dust mites, mold, cockroaches and workplace contaminants) and contributing factors, such as tobacco smoke during pregnancy and childhood, respiratory infections and indoor and outdoor air quality (National Asthma Control Task Force, 2000).

Management of asthma involves the individual, his family and his physician. Asthma specialists recognize the importance of avoiding or controlling known environmental factors, or “triggers,” that aggravate asthma. Triggers include biological pollutants, such as mold, house dust mites and pollen, as well as irritating pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide, ozone and formaldehyde (Canadian Asthma Consensus Group, 1999). For some individuals, avoiding allergens (substances that produce allergic reactions) can be the most important element of asthma management. The National Asthma Control Task Force recommends a management plan that includes reduction of aeroallergens, molds, tobacco smoke, vehicle and industry emissions, noxious odours and scents that can trigger asthma episodes. The Canadian asthma consensus report, 1999 says that increasing medication should not be a substitute for avoiding exposure to allergens and irritants.

This article deals with reducing your exposure to causal and contributing factors in the home. It provides a global approach consistent with the recommendations of the National Asthma Control Task Force and the Canadian asthma consensus report, 1999. The recommendations are aimed at reducing exposure to allergens and other substances that are known to have a potential impact on respiratory health and indoor air quality.
When allergens are involved, elimination is preferable to reduction, since even very small amounts can provoke symptoms. Although evidence of an association between the development or worsening of asthma and some nonallergenic contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is lacking, the Institute of Medicine (2000) suggests that it is prudent to limit exposure where practical.

The importance of thorough vacuuming House dust is a reservoir of dust mites, fungal glucans (cell wall components) and bacterial endotoxins. As exposure to these potential allergens occurs when house dust becomes airborne, it is important to reduce house dust as much as possible. A recent CMHC study demonstrated that this can be challenging. The study found that four to five successive vacuuming sessions with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter-equipped vacuum cleaner, at a rate of one minute per square metre for carpets and half a minute for non-carpeted areas, were required to significantly reduce the amount of fine dust in the homes tested.

Animal dander
Some people with asthma are allergic to animal dander, which comes from the saliva and the oil glands of fur-bearing animals, such as dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils and mice. Even short-haired cats and dogs produce dander.

  • The most effective way of dealing with animal dander is not to have pets in your home. The Canadian asthma consensus report, 1999 says reducing exposure to pet allergens cannot be effective without removing the pet from the home. After a cat is removed, cat dander decreases steadily over six months. Restricting a pet’s access to your bedroom and living areas does not rival the effectiveness of not having the pet in your house. Reducing pet dander by washing pets is only a temporary solution.
  • Consider housing pets outdoors.

Cockroaches
Cockroaches are a recognized source of allergens that can trigger asthma reactions in cockroach-sensitive people with asthma.

  • Remove open sources of food and water.
  • Use non-toxic baits.
  • Use a HEPA vacuum in areas that may hold reservoirs of allergens.

Outdoor pollen
Outdoor pollens (tree, grass, ragweed and other weeds) can trigger asthma in people who are allergic to pollen. Pollen concentrations are highest early in the morning. Keep the windows closed at nights.

  • Make your house airtight to reduce pollen entry. Natural Resources Canada maintains a list of residential energy advisors who can conduct a test of your home to identify air leakage pathways and suggest ways of making your house more airtight
  • Air conditioners can be beneficial in warm weather. However, check that the air-conditioning unit is not a source of mold. A moldy smell detected when the unit is turned on may come from somewhere in the house or from the air-conditioning system. Have the air-conditioning coils inside your furnace plenum inspected and, if necessary, cleaned. Ensure the drain pan under the coils is clean and drains properly.
  • Ensure that your air distribution system has a filter, such as a pleated paper filter. A HEPA filter may be more effective in capturing pollen particles, but it requires special installation and is costly to replace.
  • When the pollen levels are high, you may need to turn off your Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) and other outdoor air intake systems, to prevent them from bringing pollen-laden air into your house. HRVs are also called air-to-air heat exchangers.

Contact your REALTOR at Coldwell Banker Vantage Realty for more tips and advice on keeping you safe in your home.

Reference

Bibliography
Canadian Asthma Consensus Group. (1999). Canadian asthma consensus report, 1999. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 161, Supplement 11. Retrieved March 2009, from http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/ reprint/161/11_suppl_1/s1
Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health & Environment. (2005). Child Health and the Environment— A Primer. Toronto, ON, Canada: CPCHE. Retrieved March 2009, from www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca
Garner, R. & Kohen, D. (2008). Changes in the prevalence of asthma among Canadian children. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 2009, from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?lang=eng&catno=82-003-X200800210551
Health Canada. (2000). Air Cleaners Designed to Intentionally Generate Ozone (Ozone Generators)—Questions and Answers. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Health Canada. Retrieved March 2009, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/house-domes/electron/cleaners-air-purificateurs-eng.php
Health Canada. (2007). Residential Indoor Air Quality Guidelines: Moulds. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Health Canada. Retrieved March 2009, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/air/mould-moisissure-eng.php
Institute of Medicine. (2000). Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures. Washington, DC: National Academic Press. Retrieved March 2009, from http://books.nap.edu/books/0309064961/html
Jarvis D., Chinn S., Luczynska C., & Burney P. (1996). Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function in young adults with use of domestic gas appliances. Lancet, 347 (8999), 426-31.
National Asthma Control Task Force. (2000). The Prevention and Management of Asthma in Canada: A Major Challenge Now and in the Future. Ottawa, ON, Canada: Public Health Agency of Canada.Retrieved March 2009, from http://www.phac aspc.gc.ca/publicat/pma-pca00/About Your House