Associations Between Subjective Symptoms and Serum Immunoglobulin E Levels During Asian Dust Events

Shinji Otani, Kazunari Onishi, Haosheng Mu, Takenobu Hosoda, Youichi Kurozawa and Masahide Ikeguchi
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Shinji Otani: Division of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8504, Japan
Kazunari Onishi: Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
Haosheng Mu: Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
Takenobu Hosoda: Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
Youichi Kurozawa: Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8503, Japan
Masahide Ikeguchi: Division of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683-8504, Japan

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-6

Abstract: Asian dust is a seasonal meteorological phenomenon caused by the displacement of atmospheric pollutants from the Mongolian and Chinese deserts. Although the frequency of Asian dust events and atmospheric dust levels have steadily increased in the eastern Asia region, the effects on human health remain poorly understood. In the present study, the impact of Asian dust on human health was determined in terms of allergic reactions. A total of 25 healthy volunteers were tested for a relationship between serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and subjective symptoms during a 3-day Asian dust event recorded in April 2012. They filled daily questionnaires on the severity of nasal, pharyngeal, ocular, respiratory, and skin symptoms by a self-administered visual analog scale. Serum levels of non-specific IgE and 33 allergen-specific IgE molecules were analyzed. Spearman rank-correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between nasal symptom scores and 2 microbial-specific IgE levels ( Penicillium and Cladosporium ). Microbes migrate vast distances during Asian dust events by attaching themselves to dust particles. Therefore, some of these symptoms may be associated with type 1 allergic reactions to certain type of microbes.

Keywords: Asian dust; type 1 allergic reaction; immunoglobulin E (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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