Dust mite research to provide relief for asthma sufferersJuly 16, 2002Easy household solutions to the problems of asthma could result from new research due to be announced at a conference this week. Asthma, a condition which affects 8 million people in the UK (18,000 new cases every year), is one of the allergies which is exacerbated and often caused by dust mites in homes. Scientists at University College London (UCL), South Bank University, University of Cambridge and Insect R&D Ltd will present the results of a two year EPSRC study into dust mites which examines their response to environmental conditions in an effort to better control their populations. Asthma and similar allergies are exacerbated by dust mite faeces which, once deposited, become airborne. High dust mite populations are one of the contributing factors which can trigger asthma in non-sufferers. The research found that mites are very sensitive to both temperature and humidity. Controlling these two factors might be a way of eradicating or at least controlling dust mite populations in the home. Professor Tadj Oreszczyn (UCL) said: "The data we've gathered on the conditions in which dust mites flourish should help us eradicate this household pest". The design of homes rarely takes into account the causes of allergies which can often be easily helped. It is hoped that this new research will help influence the design and use of houses, providing relief to allergy sufferers and helping to minimise the risk of developing asthma. Professor Tadj Oreszczyn (UCL) said: "In the future, allergy sufferers can help alleviate their symptoms by designing their homes differently, taking into account the ranges of humidity and temperature which help nurture dust mites and which can make their allergies unbearable". | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Asthma News Articles Obese people with asthma have nearly 5 times greater risk of hospitalization for asthma Obese people who have asthma are nearly five times more likely to be hospitalized for the condition than non-obese people with asthma, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the September issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Innate immune system targets asthma-linked fungus for destruction A new study shows that the innate immune system of humans is capable of killing a fungus linked to airway inflammation, chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma. Physical and sexual abuse linked to asthma in Puerto Rican kids Children who are physically or sexually abused are more than twice as likely to have asthma as their peers, according to a recent study of urban children in Puerto Rico. In fact, physical and sexual abuse was second only to maternal asthma in all the risk factors tested, including paternal asthma and indicators of socioeconomic status. Heavy breathing -- an obscure link in asthma and obesity There is a strong link between obesity and asthma and as the prevalence of both conditions has been increasing steadily, epidemiologists have speculated that there is an underlying condition that connects the two. Asthma monitoring on the Web An inexpensive web-enabled device for measuring lung function in patients with asthma and other disorders is being developed by researchers at Texas Instruments, in Bangalore, India, and co-workers. Writing in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, the team explains how the devise could allow physicians to monitor their patients remotely and quickly instigate medical attention in an emergency. Seeing through tooth decay Dental caries afflict at least 90% of the world's population at some time in their lives. Detecting the first signs of this disease, which can be lethal in extreme cases, just got easier thanks to work by researchers in India discussed in the latest issue of the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology. UC Davis researchers define characteristics, treatment options for XXYY syndrome Researchers at the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute and The Children's Hospital in Denver have conducted the largest study to date describing the medical and psychological characteristics of a rare genetic disorder in which males have two "X" and two "Y" chromosomes, rather than the normal one of each. Infection Blocks Lung's Protective Response Against Tobacco Smoke An infection that often goes undetected can block the lung's natural protective response against tobacco smoke, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. Many U.S. Public Schools in 'Air Pollution Danger Zone' One in three U.S. public schools are in the "air pollution danger zone," according to new research from the University of Cincinnati (UC). Asthma in boys may be just a phase, but for girls it may be there to stay Boys may be more apt than girls to have childhood asthma, but, when compared to girls, they are also more likely to grow out of it in adolescence and have a decreased incidence of asthma in the post-pubertal years. This indicates that there may be a buried mechanism in asthma development, according to a prospective study that analyzed airway responsiveness (AR) in more than 1,000 children with mild to moderate asthma over a period of about nine years. More Asthma News Articles |
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