| Title: | Histamine as an emergent indoor contaminant: Accumulation and persistence in bed bug infested homes |
| Author(s): | DeVries ZC; Santangelo RG; Barbarin AM; Schal C; |
| Address: | "Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America. W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America. NC Department of Health and Human Services, Communicable Disease Branch, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America. Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America" |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0192462 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1932-6203 (Electronic) 1932-6203 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Histamine is used in bronchial and dermal provocation, but it is rarely considered an environmental risk factor in allergic disease. Because bed bugs defecate large amounts of histamine as a component of their aggregation pheromone, we sought to determine if histamine accumulates in household dust in bed bug infested homes, and the effects of bed bug eradication with spatial heat on histamine levels in dust. We collected dust in homes and analyzed for histamine before, and up to three months after bed bug eradication. Histamine levels in bed bug infested homes were remarkably high (mean = 54.6+/-18.9 mug/100 mg of sieved household dust) and significantly higher than in control homes not infested with bed bugs (mean < 2.5+/-1.9 mug/100 mg of sieved household dust). Heat treatments that eradicated the bed bug infestations failed to reduce histamine levels, even three months after treatment. We report a clear association between histamine levels in household dust and bed bug infestations. The high concentrations, persistence, and proximity to humans during sleep suggest that bed bug-produced histamine may represent an emergent contaminant and pose a serious health risk in the indoor environment" |
| Keywords: | "*Air Pollution, Indoor/adverse effects Animals *Bedbugs Histamine/*analysis Hot Temperature Humans Insect Control Pest Control;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineDeVries, Zachary C Santangelo, Richard G Barbarin, Alexis M Schal, Coby eng P30 ES025128/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/ P30ES025128/NH/NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2018/02/13 PLoS One. 2018 Feb 12; 13(2):e0192462. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192462. eCollection 2018" |
