Background: Cat allergens are ubiquitous because the clothing of cat owners constitutes an important source of distribution of Fel d 1 in cat-free environments. Since Fel d 1 can adhere to a variety of surfaces, we sought to verify if human hair belonging to individuals with or without a cat at home might represent a reservoir and be a possible carrier of cat allergens. Methods: Seventy-three women (25 with a non-neutered male cat and 25 with a dog at home, and 23 controls without any direct contact with these animals) were recruited. The collection of material from hair was carried out using a modified version of a battery-powdered portable sampler. Particulate material was harvested onto glass fiber filters (25 mm in diameter, with a pore size of 2 µm; AP 20 Millipore, Milan Italy), extracted in phosphate buffer with BSA and then assayed for the evaluation of cat allergen using an ELISA based on anti-Fel d 1 monoclonal antibody. Results: Detectable levels of cat allergen were found in 2 controls, in 2 women with a dog at home and in 13 women with a cat at home, respectively. Conclusions: In some women with a cat at home, hair constitutes a significant reservoir of Fel d 1. It is likely that these amounts of cat allergen might contribute to allergic sensitization when released in cat-free environments.

Keywords:
Bronchial asthma, Cat allergen, Fel d 1, Human hair, Respiratory allergy, Rhinitis
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2005
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