Cat Allergens in Homes of CatAllergic Children without a Cat

Background: Cat allergy is very common among atopic children in Istanbul although most of them have never had a cat in their homes. Methods: Major cat allergen Fel d1 was measured in house dust samples of 25 atopic children and 15 non-atopic children. Results: Fel d1 levels in house dust samples were similar in both study and control groups (64.8 ± 72.8 ng/g vs 65.4 ± 69.8 ng/g, respectively). Conclusions: Cat allergens are common in the house dust samples of allergic and non-allergic children living in Istanbul. Presence of cat allergens at homes may be due to the presence of the stray cats in the city.