Mite-allergen levels in Norwegian homes

Abstract

The scarce data published on mite sensitization and mite-allergen levels in Norway indicate that the mites may not be of the same importance in allergic disease in Norway as in countries such as the UK and the rest of Europe. The problem also involves the low allergen levels and small amounts of dust collected for allergen determination, and when the level is to be expressed as mg/g, the lower detection limit will often vary from sample to sample, giving within the same investigation results such as < 0.2 μg/g, < 0.5 μg/g, and even <2.0 μg/g. The use of allergen levels expressed instead per area (μg/m2) at least results in a uniform lower detection limit, making statistical analysis easier.