Search
× Search
Menu
  1. Home
  2. Allergy Report
    1. Hours and Locations
    2. Our History
    3. Our Mission
    4. Our Providers
    5. COO Welcome
    6. FAQs
    7. Join Our Team
    1. Hours and Locations
    2. Main Office
    3. Edmond Office
    4. Norman Medical Park West
    5. Yukon Office
    1. Services
      1. Allergic Rhinitis
      2. Allergies
      3. Anaphylaxis
      4. Asthma
      5. Food Allergies
      6. Mold Allergies
      7. Pollen Allergies
    2. New Patients
    3. Telemedicine Instruction
    4. Portal Login
    5. Insurance & Self Pay
    6. Educational Materials
    7. Allergy Related Websites
    1. Blog
    2. Follow Us
  7. Contact

Environmental Control for Indoor Allergens

Patients Educational Materials Environmental Control

Environmental Control for Indoor Allergens

House dust contains a variety of allergens such as insect parts, animal dander, and dust mites. Furthermore, mold may also be present in homes. It is important to eliminate as much allergen as possible from the home in order to derive maximum benefit from your treatment.

House Dust Mite is probably the most important allergen in most homes. Controlling house dust mite exposure will decrease symptoms in allergic patients and may decrease the risk of developing dust mite allergy in patients not yet sensitized. Dust mites are tiny microscopic creatures that thrive in warm, moist climates. Upholstery (particularly the bed) is the ideal habitat for dust mites because they need the protection of the padding and a food supply (shed human skin) to survive. They cannot thrive on non-porous surfaces or in cool dry climates.

There are simple things you can do to minimize dust mite exposure:

  • You should concentrate on the bedroom (particularly the bed) because this is where you spend most of your time. In fact, when you are sleeping, you are breathing with your mouth and nose inches from a whole army of dust mites. The bedroom should be clutter free.
  • Dusting should be done frequently with a damp cloth.
  • The humidity in the bedroom should be kept below 50%. In Central Oklahoma this generally requires only air condition, but may require a de-humidifier. Humidifiers encourage dust mite and mold growth and should be avoided.
  • The mattress, box spring and pillow should be encased in dust mite proof encasements. All items on the bed should be washed in hot water (140 degrees) every one to two weeks. Stuffed animals should be removed from the bed.
  • Upholstered furniture and wall to wall carpet contain dust mites and should be avoided if possible, but these are not nearly as important as the bed.
  • Air filters, expensive vacuum cleaners, and duct cleaning help only minimally. When vacuuming, a HEPA filter or double bag should be used to minimize dust mites being stirred up and released into the air.

Cockroaches are now recognized as important indoor allergens. Other insects such as lady bugs, spiders, and crickets have recently been implicated. Keep the home clean and dry and fix any leaks or drips. It may be necessary to have an exterminator treat the home periodically.

Animal dander, generally from cats and dogs (but sometimes from gerbils, hamster, guinea pigs, mice, etc.) is a very important source of allergen in dust. Contrary to popular belief, animal hair is not the problem. Rather, it is a protein in the urine, saliva and dander of animal that provokes allergy. There are no “nonallergenic” furred pets. Some individual animals produce more allergen than others but there are no “safe” breeds.

  • The best thing you can do if you are allergic is to eliminate the pet.
  • Keeping the animal outside is only a partial solution because people who handle the animals outside will bring the allergen in on their clothes.
  • If you cannot eliminate the pet, try to keep the pet in non-upholstered areas and never let the pet in the bedroom. A HEPA filter in the bedroom may provide some protection.
  • Bathing the animals weekly may decrease the amount of allergen they produce.
  • After the animal has been removed, it can take as long as a year for allergen levels in the home to drop significantly, so a good thorough cleaning of the home is necessary after eliminating the animal.

Recently some information has come to light which suggests that if you are not already allergic it may actually be helpful to have cats or dogs in the home. However, if you are already pet allergic having the pets around will only worsen your allergic symptoms.

Indoor Mold can also cause significant allergic respiratory symptoms. Homes with high humidity and/or leaks have a high likelihood of having significant indoor molds. Once these issues have been fixed, it is generally easy to eliminate molds, but if you continue to have problems with water leaks or high humidity, you will have a hard time cleaning up your mold. Use a cleaning solution containing 5% bleach and a small amount of detergent to clean up moldy areas. Performing house dust control measures will help as well.

Conditions Treated

Recent News

SuperUser Account
/ Categories: News

FDA Approves First Medication to Help Reduce Allergic Reactions to Multiple Foods After Accidental Exposure

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Xolair (omalizumab) injection for immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy in certain adults and children 1 year or older for the reduction of allergic reactions (Type I), including reducing the risk of anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to one or more foods. Patients who take Xolair must continue to avoid foods they are allergic to. Xolair is intended for repeated use to reduce the risk of allergic reactions and is not approved for the immediate emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. 

Xolair was originally approved in 2003 for the treatment of moderate to severe persistent allergic asthma in certain patients. Xolair is also approved to treat chronic spontaneous urticaria and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps in certain patients.

“This newly approved use for Xolair will provide a treatment option to reduce the risk of harmful allergic reactions among certain patients with IgE-mediated food allergies,” said Kelly Stone, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the Division of Pulmonology, Allergy, and Critical Care in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “While it will not eliminate food allergies or allow patients to consume food allergens freely, its repeated use will help reduce the health impact if accidental exposure occurs.”  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 6% of people in the United States in 2021 had a food allergy and exposure to the particular food(s) to which they are allergic can lead to potentially life-threatening allergic reactions (i.e., anaphylaxis). There is currently no cure for food allergy. Current treatment requires strict avoidance of the food(s) the patient is allergic to, and prompt administration of epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis should accidental exposures occur. Palforzia (peanut allergen powder) is an oral immunotherapy product approved in patients 4-17 years of age for the mitigation of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanut, but its benefits are restricted to peanut allergy. Xolair is the first FDA-approved medication to reduce allergic reactions to more than one type of food after accidental exposure.

Xolair is a drug (in the class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies) that binds to immunoglobulin E (IgE), the antibody type that triggers allergic reactions, and blocks IgE from binding to its receptors. 

Xolair’s safety and efficacy in reducing allergic reactions in subjects with food allergies was established in one multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 168 pediatric and adult subjects (at least 1 year of age or older) who were allergic to peanut and at least two other foods, including milk, egg, wheat, cashew, hazelnut or walnut. Researchers randomly gave subjects either Xolair or placebo treatment for 16 to 20 weeks. The primary measure of Xolair’s efficacy was the percentage of subjects who were able to eat a single dose (600 milligrams or greater) of peanut protein (equivalent to 2.5 peanuts) without moderate to severe allergic symptoms, such as moderate to severe skin, respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, at the end of the 16-to-20-week treatment course. Of those who received Xolair, 68% (75 of 110 subjects) were able to eat the single dose of peanut protein without moderate to severe allergic symptoms (e.g., whole body hives, persistent coughing, vomiting), compared to 6% (3 of 55 subjects) who received placebo; these results are statistically significant and clinically meaningful for subjects with food allergy. Of note, however, 17% of subjects receiving Xolair had no significant change in the amount of peanut protein tolerated (could not tolerate 100 mg or more of peanut protein). As a result, continuation of strict allergen avoidance is still necessary, despite treatment with Xolair.

The key secondary measures of efficacy were the percentage of subjects who were able to consume a single dose (1,000 milligrams or greater) of cashew, milk or egg protein without moderate to severe allergic symptoms at the end of the 16-to-20-week treatment course. For cashew, 42% (27 of 64 subjects) who received Xolair achieved this endpoint compared to 3% (1 of 30 subjects) who received placebo. For milk, 66% (25 of 38 subjects) who received Xolair achieved this endpoint, compared to 11% (2 of 19) who received placebo. For egg, 67% (31 of 46 subjects) who received Xolair achieved this endpoint, compared to 0% of the 19 who received placebo. As a result, Xolair treatment is approved for certain patients with one or more IgE-mediated food allergies.

The most common side effects of Xolair observed included injection site reactions and fever. Xolair comes with certain warnings and precautions, such as anaphylaxis, malignancy, fever, joint pain, rash, parasitic (worm) infection and abnormal laboratory tests.

In addition, Xolair comes with a boxed warning for anaphylaxis, which can be life threatening, based on pre-marketing and post-marketing reports of anaphylaxis that occurred after Xolair administration. Anaphylaxis has occurred after the first dose of Xolair, but also has occurred beyond one year after beginning treatment. Xolair should only be started in a healthcare setting equipped to manage anaphylaxis. For selected patients who tolerate initial Xolair treatments in a healthcare setting without anaphylaxis, self-administration (or administration by a caregiver) may be appropriate and should be discussed with a healthcare provider.  

Patients should not receive Xolair if they have a history of known severe hypersensitivity to Xolair or any of its components. 

Xolair is not approved for the immediate emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. 

Xolair received Priority Review and Breakthrough Therapy designations for this indication. 

The FDA granted the approval of Xolair to Genentech. 

The post FDA Approves First Medication to Help Reduce Allergic Reactions to Multiple Foods After Accidental Exposure appeared first on Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

Previous Article Itchy Eyes
Next Article FDA Approves Takeda’s EOHILIA (budesonide oral suspension), the First and Only Oral Treatment in the U.S. for Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
Print
37
Tags: News
GET SOCIAL
CONTACT US
Main Office

750 N.E. 13th, 3rd floor
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
405-235-0040

Mon-Thu: 7:30am – 5:20pm
Fri: 7:30am – 11:30am
Sat (Injections only):
8:00am – 11:40am

Terms Of UsePrivacy StatementCopyright 2026 by Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic
Back To Top