(Press-News.org) An allergic reaction to cockroaches is a major contributor to asthma in urban children, but new research suggests that the insects are just one part of a more complex story. Very early exposure to certain components of air pollution can increase the risk of developing a cockroach allergy by age 7 and children with a common mutation in a gene called GSTM may be especially vulnerable.
Researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health published the findings, the first on this interplay of risk factors, in the February 6 online edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
"Allergy to cockroach is one of the greatest risk factors for asthma in low-income urban communities," says lead author Matthew Perzanowski. PhD. "Our findings indicate a complex relationship between allergen and air pollution exposures early in life and a possible underlying genetic susceptibility. Combined, these findings suggest that exposures in the home environment as early as the prenatal period can lead to some children being at much greater risk for developing an allergy to cockroach, which, in turn, heightens their risk of developing asthma."
Dr. Perzanowski and his co-investigators looked at 349 mother-child pairs from the Center's Mothers & Newborns study of environmental exposures in Northern Manhattan and the Bronx. During the mother's pregnancy, exposure to cockroach allergen (protein in feces, saliva or other remnants of the insects) was measured by collecting dust from the kitchen and bed. Researchers also sampled air to measure the mother's exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAH (combustion products that are harmful components of air pollution). Presence of the GSTM1 mutation was determined through blood samples. At ages 5 and 7, the children had blood tests to identify the presence of IgE antibodies—an immune marker of allergy.
The researchers found that 279 or 80% of homes tested positive for high levels of cockroach allergen. By age 7, 82 of 264 children tested, or 31%, had cockroach allergy. Presence of higher levels of cockroach allergen led cockroach allergy only in children whose mothers also had been exposed to higher levels of PAH during pregnancy. This result, the authors say, suggests that PAH enhances the immune response to cockroach allergen.
The combined impact of the two exposures was even greater among the 27% of children with a common mutation in the GSTM gene. This mutation is suspected to alter the ability of the body to detoxify PAHs.
The study suggests that minimizing exposure to PAH during pregnancy and to cockroach allergen during early childhood could be helpful in preventing cockroach allergies and asthma in urban children.
"Asthma among many urban populations in the United States continues to rise," says senior author Rachel Miller, MD. "Identifying these complex associations and acting upon them through better medical surveillance and more appropriate public policy may be very important in curtailing this alarming trend."
###
Additional authors include Ginger L. Chew, Adnan Divjan, Kyung Hwa Jung, Robert Ridder, Deliang Tang, Diurka Diaz, Inge F. Goldstein, Patrick L. Kinney, Andrew G. Rundle, David E. Camann, and Frederica P. Perera.
This study was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grant #s P01 ES09600, 5 RO1 ES08977, R01ES13163, RO1ES11158, P30 ES009089, P50ES015905, R03 ES013308), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (grant #s R827027, RD832141, RD834509), and private foundations.
Air pollution primes children for asthma-related cockroach allergy
Researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health untangle complex web of factors behind high rates of asthma in urban environment
2013-02-06
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Maternal exposure to outdoor air pollution associated with low birth weights worldwide
2013-02-06
Mothers who are exposed to particulate air pollution of the type emitted by vehicles, urban heating and coal power plants are significantly more likely to bear children of low birth weight, according to an international study led by co-principal investigator Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive sciences at UC San Francisco along with Jennifer Parker, PhD, of the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study, the largest of its kind ever performed, analyzed data collected from ...
Pirate-like flies connect symbiosis to diversity
2013-02-06
After a year of studying up close the symbiotic relationship between a mosquito-sized bug and a fungus, a Simon Fraser University biologist has advanced the scientific understanding of biological diversity.
Jeffrey Joy has discovered that symbiosis — a relationship between two or more organisms that can be parasitic or mutualistic — is as much the mother of biological diversity as predation and competition.
The Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B journal has just published the post-doctoral researcher's findings online. They advance Joy's previous ...
Jobs Difficult to Find for Those Over 55
2013-02-06
Jobs Difficult to Find for Those Over 55
Many employees continue to experience difficulties finding jobs in this tough economy. Unfortunately, research shows that those over the age of 55 seem to have an even greater struggle than most jobless Americans.
According to the AARP, unemployment rates for Americans 55 and older surged from 490,000 in 2000, to 2,114,000 in 2009. Reuters also reports that the number of workers over 55 struggling with long-term unemployment has more than doubled since 2007. In some cases, employee rights may come into play.
Both federal ...
State and Federal Authorities Cracking Down on Synthetic Drugs
2013-02-06
State and Federal Authorities Cracking Down on Synthetic Drugs
State and federal authorities once lagged behind on the growing synthetic drug trend. The constantly changing chemical compounds in synthetic drugs, which mimic either the effects of methamphetamine or marijuana, made it a legal high for many users, who could purchase them at smoke shops and gas stations. This is no longer the case. Growing alarm at the frequent use and corresponding dangers of synthetic drug use has prompted state and federal authorities to issue harsh punishments to those found selling ...
What to tell (and not tell) a child about a divorce
2013-02-06
What to tell (and not tell) a child about a divorce
A divorce is a high-stress event that makes parenting more difficult than ever. A child may have many several reactions and emotions to a divorce, and putting that child's needs first is more important than ever. Parents know this, of course, but it can be difficult to know how to say and do the right things to ensure a child is emotionally stable and able to move on after the divorce.
Speaking to children when divorcing
It is important to speak to children about divorce as soon as plans are made concrete. If ...
Financial issues to consider when getting a divorce
2013-02-06
Financial issues to consider when getting a divorce
If you are going through a divorce, you know that your whole financial life is about to change. But if you prepare for it, the transition does not have to be difficult. The following tips can help you deal with your money matters as you are dissolving your marriage.
Make an assessment about what you have
To assess your financial condition, it is best to make a list of what you have, as well is what you owe. Make a list of your shared properties, investments and retirement funds , so you can give a detailed statement ...
Part of New York City's stop and frisk policy ruled unconstitutional
2013-02-06
Part of New York City's stop and frisk policy ruled unconstitutional
Recently, a federal judge ruled a portion of New York City's controversial stop and frisk policy unconstitutional. Undeterred, New York City plans to appeal the ruling. The federal judge's ruling was one of three federal challenges to the policy. The federal judge found that the policy violated the civil liberties of residents who were stopped for trespass because police lacked reasonable suspicion for the stop.
The Fourth Amendment and reasonable stops
The Fourth Amendment protects individuals ...
Federal court: Employers can refuse to hire based on past bankruptcies
2013-02-06
Federal court: Employers can refuse to hire based on past bankruptcies
Filing for bankruptcy is a major decision. In many cases, a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy can be the best way for individuals to get out from under overwhelming debt. However, there are some downsides to filing for bankruptcy -- most notably, bankruptcy will negatively a person's credit score and it can make it difficult to qualify for a mortgage or a major loan.
Recently, a new complication for bankruptcy filers has emerged. More and more, employers are looking into job applicants' credit ...
Valuable tips for managing finances during a divorce
2013-02-06
Valuable tips for managing finances during a divorce
Although Missouri residents know the divorce process is challenging, divorcing couples may not be aware of the complex financial issues involved. Competing interests can also further complicate the situation.
Finances are one of the biggest sources of stress when going through a divorce,and that stress may be especially intense for individuals who are not familiar with handling finances.
The following tips are a good starting place for dealing with these issues.
Financial tips during a divorce
It is wise ...
New Treatment Shows Promise for Those with Spinal Cord Injuries
2013-02-06
New Treatment Shows Promise for Those with Spinal Cord Injuries
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 200,000 people in the United States are currently living with a severe spinal cord injury (SCI). Experts estimate that an additional 12,000 to 20,000 people in the United States suffer an SCI each year. The cost of treating these injuries is significant: the average annual medical cost for someone with a spinal cord injury is anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000, depending on the severity of the injury.
Spinal cord injuries are ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate
Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine
[Press-News.org] Air pollution primes children for asthma-related cockroach allergyResearchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health untangle complex web of factors behind high rates of asthma in urban environment