Respiratory symptoms and hamsters or other pets: a large-sized population survey in Saitama Prefecture

Pet-Keeping in Relation to Asthma, Rhinitis, and Eczema Symptoms Among Adolescents in Kuwait: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Findings on the associations between household pet-keeping and allergic diseases, including asthma, rhinitis, and eczema, have been contradictory, with investigations reporting positive, negative, and null associations. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of pet-keeping among families in Kuwait and to assess the associations between pet-keeping and symptoms of allergic diseases among adolescents. Methods: Schoolchildren aged 11-14 years (n = 3,864) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The children's parents completed questionnaires regarding their child's environmental exposures, including pet-keeping in the past 12 months, and clinical history and symptoms of allergic diseases. Associations were assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance estimation, and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Results: Pet-keeping in the past 12 months was reported by 42.8% of the participating families. Birds, cats, rabbits, fish, and dogs were kept by 28.3, 13.2, 7.8, 3.9, and 3.1% of all households, respectively. Current cat ownership was significantly associated with current wheezing (aPR 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.58), current rhinitis symptoms (aPR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.36), and ever doctor-diagnosed eczema (aPR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03-1.50). Current rabbit-keeping was positively associated with multiple symptoms of asthma (e.g., study-defined current asthma: aPR 1.38, 95% CI 1.04-1.82) and eczema (e.g., severe eczema: aPR 1.94, 95% CI 1.02-3.71). Similarly, current bird-keeping was associated with study-defined current rhinitis (aPR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05-1.41) and current itchy rash (aPR 1.27, 95% CI 1.10-1.46). Conclusions: Household pet-keeping is very common and diverse in Kuwait and was found to be positively associated with symptoms of allergic diseases among adolescents. The findings of associations between rabbit-keeping and symptoms of asthma and eczema add to the existing literature and further highlight the importance of considering the pet type when assessing such associations.

[New pets, allergens and allergic dermatitis]

The number of household pets increased greatly during the twentieth century, with the numbers of new pets (NP, i.e. any pet other than cats and dogs) rising especially sharply over the last decade. Contact with such animals, whose owners do not always know how to look after them properly, expose the population to new risks such as trauma, infection and allergy. While the most common allergies are respiratory, allergic skin reactions, both immediate and delayed, may also result from contact with these new allergens. The animal itself or its environment may be the cause. Herein, we review NPs and reports of allergic dermatitis associated with them.

Risk factors for respiratory symptoms and asthma in the residential environment of 5th grade schoolchildren in Taipei, Taiwan

This study examined the association of residential environmental factors with respiratory symptoms and asthma in 2,290 fifth graders in Taipei, Taiwan. A self-report survey questionnaire elicited experiences of respiratory symptoms, disease history, and characteristics of residential environmental factors from schoolchildren. The proportion of schoolchildren having physician-diagnosed asthma was 9.8% and suspected asthma was 16.1%. The proportions of having respiratory symptoms in the past 12 months ranged from 9.8% for wheezing without a cold to 40.5% for exercise-induced cough. Higher proportions of boys had non-exercise-induced respiratory symptoms, physician-diagnosed asthma, and suspected asthma than girls (p < 0.05). Exposure to odoriferous chemical vapor was significantly associated with all seven respiratory symptoms considered in the study (p < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors including residential districts, gender, diagnosed allergy, and parental history of respiratory symptoms, odoriferous chemical vapors, gas leaks, dehumidifier use, presence of cockroaches at home, and leaky water/water puddle at home were significantly associated with the proportions of physician-diagnosed asthma or suspected asthma of the schoolchildren. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of physician-diagnosed asthma was 2.35 (95% confidential interval = 1.45-3.82) for odoriferous chemical vapor. The aOR of suspected asthma measure was 2.14 (95% CI = 1.40-3.26) for odoriferous chemical vapor. Odoriferous chemical vapor was the major risk factor of respiratory illness in the residential environment of schoolchildren in Taipei. Other household risk factors included gas leaks, dampness, and cockroaches at home.