Pet allergens may impede lung function

Nutrition Health Review, Summer, 2004

UNITED KINGDOM--British researchers recently studied whether a child who has grown up in a household with pets experiences any impediment to lung function.

Dog, cat, and mite allergen levels were taken from dust samples collected from the homes of 827 children at age 3 years. Of the children, 760 underwent skin-prick allergy tests, and 498 completed whole-body plethysmography for assessment of lung function.

For the children who did not have skin sensitivities to pet allergens, lung function was similar in those who had household pets and in those who did not. However, lung function was poorer in the 20 percent of children who did experience skin sensitivities than in the nonsensitized children. This difference was seen only in dog allergens.

The test results were unclear because the factors that contribute to the development of asthma are complex. It is advised that parents consult with their child's physician before bringing a pet into the home.

(Source: Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. October 2004;158:996-1001.)