RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between house dust mite, cat and dog allergen levels with household characteristics in the houses of children living in urban and rural areas in central Poland. METHODS: Dust samples were collected from 141 urban and 191 rural houses. Der f1 + Der p1, Can f 1, and Fel d1 levels were measured and associated with residential conditions and atopy-related health outcomes assessed by clinical examination and skin prick testing. RESULTS: Concentrations of mite allergens were lower, and cat and dog allergen levels were higher in urban houses. Fel d1 and Can f1 levels depended on the presence of a respective animal in the house. In urban houses, Der p1 + Der f1 concentration was lower in households with central heating, whereas Can f1 concentration was related to building age. Multivariate analyses revealed that the concentrations of house dust mite and dog allergens were associated with relative humidity, number of people in the household, and the presence of a dog at home. There was no significant association between allergen level and sensitization or atopic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of indoor allergens in urban and rural houses differ significantly, and residential conditions associated with allergen levels seem to be different in both environments.
RESUMO
UNLABELLED: Infections of the respiratory tract are one of the main causes of family doctor visiting. A variety of etiological factors (mostly viruses, typical and non typical bacteria) causes that the diagnosis of these infections is rarely made in outpatient practice (usually these are nose and throat smears); additionally the carrier state of typical bacteria in the respiratory tract impedes the interpretation of microbiological results. THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to assess the incidence of potential bacterial etiological factors of respiratory tract infections in outpatients in the years 2000-2005. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The 3270 microbiological results obtained from patients at the age of between 1 month and 88 years old with chronic and acute symptoms of respiratory tract infections were analyzed. RESULTS: The positive results of bacteria culture indicating the possible bacterial etiological agent of infection were found from 1051 patients (34.4%), mostly in autumn - spring time. Most often were isolated: H. influenzae - 28.8%, S. pneumoniae - 22.1% and S. aureus - 22.1%, in less percentage M. catarrhalis - 14.1% and S. pyogenes - 13.1. Positive bacteria cultures were received most often from ear secretion- 66.8% (P. aeruginosa, S. aureus), from nose-41.2% (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae), sputum - 34.9% (S. aureus), throat - 24.3% (H. influenzae, S. pyogenes). CONCLUSIONS: It has been confirmed that predominant participation of viruses in respiratory system infections is observed and also seasonal character of their bacterial nature occurrence (35%). Most often were isolated: H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, also M. catarrhalis. On the ground of carrier state of these bacteria in nasopharynx it is a clinician's decision to recognize the bacteria as the etiological agent of infection and possible use of antibiotic treatment.
