Endotoxin and indoor allergen levels in kindergartens and daycare centres in Wellington, New Zealand.

AIMS

A large majority of children in New Zealand attend daycare centres and kindergartens early in life. Overseas studies have demonstrated a possible protective effect of daycare attendance against asthma and allergy later in life. One hypothesised agent for this protection is high levels of endotoxin, which have not previously been measured in New Zealand childcare facilities. The purpose of this study was to measure endotoxin and indoor allergens in kindergartens and daycare centres in the Wellington region.

METHODS

Dust samples were collected from 18 kindergartens and 18 daycare centres and analysed for endotoxin by the kinetic limulus amebocyte lysate assay and for indoor allergens by double monoclonal/polyclonal antibody ELISA.

RESULTS

The geometric mean level (95% CI) was 29,206 EU/g (19,410-43,950) for endotoxin, 0.25 mcg/g (0.04-2.28) for Der p 1, 1.24 mcg/g (0.80-1.90) for Fel d 1, 0.43 mcg/g (0.26-0.71) for Can f 1, and 0.028 mcg/g (0.020-0.039) for Bla g 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Endotoxin levels in daycare centres and kindergartens in Wellington, New Zealand are similar to domestic dwellings in Wellington, however indoor allergen levels are much lower. The low indoor allergens in the daycare centres and kindergartens are unlikely to be problematic for sensitised infants, although some individual childcare facilities had very high Der p 1 levels.