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Association between temporary housing habitation after the 2011 Japan earthquake and mite allergen sensitization and asthma development.
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  • Chiyako Oshikata,
  • Maiko Watanabe,
  • Masatsugu Ishida,
  • Seiichi Kobayashi,
  • Kazuhiro Hashimoto,
  • Naoki Kobayashi,
  • Akiko Yamazaki,
  • Rumi Konuma,
  • Takeshi Kaneko,
  • Yoichi Kamata,
  • Shinichi Kuriyama,
  • Masaru Yanai,
  • Naomi Tsurikisawa
Chiyako Oshikata
Hiratsuka City Hospital

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Maiko Watanabe
National Institute of Health Sciences
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Masatsugu Ishida
Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital
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Seiichi Kobayashi
Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital
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Kazuhiro Hashimoto
FCG Research Institute, Inc.
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Naoki Kobayashi
Azabu University
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Akiko Yamazaki
Iwate University
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Rumi Konuma
Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute
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Takeshi Kaneko
Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine
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Yoichi Kamata
Faculty of Human Life Science
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Shinichi Kuriyama
Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
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Masaru Yanai
Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital
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Naomi Tsurikisawa
Hiratsuka City Hospital
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Abstract

Background: We previously reported increased prevalence of asthma in adults who lived in temporary housing after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. To investigate changes in asthma prevalence and mite-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) titers in temporary housing residents from 2014 through 2019. Methods: We diagnosed asthma in Ishinomaki city temporary housing residents (age,  15 years) by using the GINA guidelines. We analyzed serum antigen-specific IgE levels to Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), and Aspergillus fumigatus. Results: The prevalence of asthma exceeded 20% across all age groups throughout the study period. The proportion of study participants with a ‘positive’ antigen-specific IgE titer (i.e.,  0.35 IUA/mL) was higher in asthmatics than in non-asthmatics for Der f and Der p but not for Aspergillus fumigatus. Residents  50 years old who diagnosed asthma or non-asthma, the percentage with Der f -specific IgE titer  0.10 IUA/mL was higher than in those with  0.35 IUA/mL. Among study participants, asthma onset occurred before the earthquake, during residence in shelters or temporary housing, and, after 2016, moving out of temporary housing. The Der p-specific IgE level was positively correlated with the duration of temporary housing (P < 0.05, r = 0.41) and inversely correlated with the time elapsed since moving out of temporary housing (P < 0.05, r = –0.35). Conclusions: Mite allergen sensitization was found in non-asthmatic temporary housing residents after the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami; asthma developed even after subjects moved out of temporary housing.
19 Apr 2021Published in International Archives of Allergy and Immunology on pages 1-13. 10.1159/000515870