Pilot Projects

Title: New York City Public Schools: An Examination of Allergen Levels and an Assessment of the Prevalence and Severity of Asthma among Adolescents

Investigator: Ginger Chew, ScD

Description: Dr. Chew was awarded a pilot grant to investigate allergen exposure and the prevalence of asthma among high school students in New York City. In the academic year 1999-2000, after obtaining permission from Columbia University’s Institutional Review Board, the NYC Board of Education, the superintendents of high schools from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens, and the principals of each participating school,  Dr. Chew investigated allergen exposure in four (4) NYC public schools, and collected personal air samples from 5 teachers at each school (total = 25 teachers). For cockroach and cat allergen, current literature has shown that the threshold level related to development of allergy is 2 U/gand 2 µg/g, respectively.  Several classrooms contained cockroach allergen above the threshold level. Although the level of cat allergen was lower than the proposed threshold, it was still detectable in many classrooms.  At this time, there is no established threshold of mouse allergen for allergic sensitization in children; however, it was recovered frequently and in high concentrations in the school dust samples. Dr. Chew also developed a protocol for personal air sampling and developed an enhanced immunoassay to measure airborne cockroach allergen. The enhanced immunoassay increased the sensitivity required for low level allergen exposures expected in air samples. The ability to measure airborne cockroach allergen without intentional disturbance has far-reaching implications:  one being the ability to conduct personal monitoring of cockroach allergen exposure rather than merely relying upon a settled dust sample to represent inhalant exposure.  Until now, airborne cockroach allergens had not been measured successfully without intentional disturbance of dust reservoirs. In summary, the results indicate that mouse, cockroach, and to some extent cat allergen exposure can occur in the school environment and that the allergen levels can be high enough to elicit an allergic response in many children. 

Grant: As a result of this pilot project, Dr. Chew was awarded a New York City Council’s Speaker’s Fund grant for a 3-yr project to further investigate indoor allergens in the NYC public schools.