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Allergens: How to Identify Common Indoor Allergens and Mold by Visual Inspection, Photos and Description
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Photo guide to common indoor allergens: this article uses photographs to illustrate and help identify various indoor allergens like mold, cat allergens, dog allergens, mouse or rodent allergens, dust mites, cockroach
and other insect fragments, mite fecals, and other help in identification of indoor
allergens such as cockroaches, dust mites, fleas, house dust, mold, mildew, pet
dander, pollen. Also see Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Photographs of Indoor Allergens and Allergenic Particles
Cat Dander and Cat Hair in buildings
Cat dander (the black kitten Pippin at above left) is for many people a more serious allergen (and asthma aggravator) than dog dander (the dog katie, above left). Our page top photo shows insect jaws collected during a survey for dust containing cockroach parts and allergens.
At ALLERGEN TESTS for buildings we discuss procedures for screening buildings for high levels of various allergens and irritants. Also see BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS for information about recognizing and removing these indoor contaminants. Where toxic, pathogenic, or allergenic mold is a concern in buildings, see MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE and MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE. At ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE we discuss the types of allergy and allergy exposure tests used for humans. At ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY we discuss the accuracy and limitations of these tests.
Cat dander is widespread and we even find it present, usually at lower levels, in offices and homes where no cats reside. Animal dander may be brought in by dust and clothing on visitors. Our second photo (above left) shows cat hair in the microscope.
Details about finding and removing animal dander in buildings are provided at CAT DANDER in buildings.
Dog Dander and Dog Hair in buildings
Animal allergen Photos is our article on inspecting and addressing allergens from cats, dogs, and many other animals.
Pets, Pet Hair and Pet Dander as well as dust mites associated with animal dander are very common allergens in buildings.
The wall stains in this photo were caused by pets, probably a large dog, indicating that further indoor screening for animal dander may be in order.
Details about finding and removing animal dander in buildings are provided at CAT DANDER in buildings. |
Our photos above show dog dander (along with human skin cells) stained pink with acid fuchsin to aid visibility for the photograph). Our photo at right shows dog hair collected in an indoor dust sample, in this case the hair is further identified as from a golden retriever.
Testing people for exposure to allergens is a different activity from testing buildings for the presence of animal or other allergens. When human tests, such as the ELISA and RAST tests for exposure to allergens, indicate that someone has been exposed to problematic levels of animal allergens, there may still be confusion about just where the exposure is occurring. We discuss testing buildings for presence of allergenic particles such as dog dander, cat dander, insect or roach fragments, etc. at ALLERGEN TESTS for buildings.
Pet control - if you can't say goodbye to your bird, cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster, tropical fish, then limit the
areas they occupy and limit the airflow from that area to sleeping or other areas of the building, use allergenic
bedding, eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting, improve housecleaning including use of a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner. For more details
see our article Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Information for Asthmatics and Indoor Air Quality
ELISA and RAST tests for Allergen Exposure - The Basics
ELISA "enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay" is a rapid immunochemical test procedure that involves an enzyme (a protein that catalyzes a biochemical reaction) that tests for hormones, bacterial antigens, and antibodies. ELISA testing also involves an antibody or antigen (immunologic molecules).
RAST is an older allergen test (exposure detection) in popular use for testing humans, radioallergosorbent test, an IgE test: In this test, a sample of blood is taken, mixed with the suspected allergen, and the level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) is measured. IgE is an antibody produced by the immune system that indicates an allergic reaction.
The ELISA and RAST allergen exposure tests, their accuracy and their usefulness are discussed at ALLERGEN TESTS for buildings.
Cockroach Fecals, Fragments, Hairs as Indoor Allergens and Causes of Asthma
Cockroaches (also see photo at page top) - are the source one of the most common insect allergens found indoors in urban areas.
Cockroach fecal pellets, insect hairs, and insect fragments are often identified in house dust where roaches are present.
Our photo, left, shows cockroach carapace parts and hairs from an indoor dust sample.
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Photos and Examples of Dust Mites and Dust Mite Fecals in buildings
Dust mites: our photo (left) shows a dust mite collected in an indoor surface dust sample.
We've stained the mite blue using lactophenol cotton blue to make its parts more attractive and easy to discern.
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Photo of Dust mite fecal pellets & Pen/Asp Mold Spores
Our photo (left) shows a mix of dust mite fecal pellets and Penicillium/Aspergillus spores collected in a surface dust sample from a building.
A close examination of the dust mite fecal pellets (large dark colored particle chain in our photo) can assist in a building investigation for allergens by telling us what the dust mite or other insect was eating - in this case mold spores.
The small hyaline (colorless) spherical particles are Pen/Asp spores at about 1-5u in diameter. |
Photo of a Dust Mite
At a much loser magnification than the dust mite fecal photos just above, you can see a dust mite surrounded by other house dust particulate debris. |
Here is another mite found among pollen in the flower of a Tulip Poplar.
You won't see dust mites without a microscope, but if your home has any or all of dampness, wet areas, pets, lots of dust and organic debris, old mattresses and pillows, couches, carpets, heavy curtains,
or if you go to sleep with wet hair on your pillow, you're likely to have a high dust mite population.
Mites, mite parts, and mite fecals show up in indoor dust samples examined by microscope. Dust mites are
present wherever people and animals live. But high levels of mite fecals raises the level of allergens in the Building and may be a problem.
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Fiberglass Insulation Mold comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
Fleas and Bedbugs as serious building pests also may produce allergens.
Pollen Allergens in Building Air and Dust Samples
Pollen Photo Library a photo library of pollen & the flowers, shrubs, trees from which pollen was collected. |
Mice and Rats in buildings as Allergen Sources
Mice hair, dander, and fecals are often observed during an indoor air quality or environmental inspection.
Our photo (left) shows mouse hair found in indoor dust during an environmental inspection and test.
We often find mouse droppings, hair, dander, and mouse remains in attics, basements, walls, ducts, and food-storage cabinets.
If mice and rats are a problem in a building, in addition to needing professional extermination services, you'll need to look at the housekeeping practices in the home and in neighboring apartments or homes, especially food storage.
Rodents, Mice, Squirrel Control - I find high levels of mouse and rodent dander, fecal dust, and urine-contaminated dust in some buildings,
and high levels of these materials in building insulation in those locations. If you have a mouse problem, particularly if mice and their waste (fecals or urine) are contaminating
the building HVAC or building insulation, may need both steps to clean up or remove infected materials and steps to stop an ongoing
rodent problem. If squirrels are a problem, the cleanup needs to include closing off entry openings into the building. Get some
help from a licensed pest control expert. |
Mold Allergens and Toxins in buildings
 What mold looks like inside a building
 Mold, a photo library of mold spores for allergy and asthma sufferers - Aspergillus, Penicillium, Stachybotrys, Cladosporium, etc.
 Meruliporia incrassata - Serpula lacrymans the "house eating fungus," field and lab photos
How to Find and Test For Mold in buildings - Looking for Mold - A 'how to' photo and text primer on finding and testing for mold in buildings
Recognizing Mold: What mold looks like mold identification photos to help identify mold - choosing what to sample in buildings
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Check With Your Doctor About Allergens and About Whether or Not Building Tests for Allergens or Mold are Recommended
Of course since individual sensitivity to allergens varies, we suggest that anyone suffering from allergies and considering steps to further clean their home should also consult with their allergist and their general physician.
- Safety Warning: if indoor air quality complaints include respiratory distress, headaches, nausea, and similar symptoms, it is important to immediately rule out unsafe heating equipment, chimneys, flues, or carbon monoxide hazards. See CARBON MONOXIDE - CO
- The types, accuracy, and variability of human tests for allergy sensitivity and allergy or mold exposure are discussed further at ALLERGY TESTS.
- The combination of allergy testing limitations and occupant complaints that may in some cases justify a building survey for physical particles or other evidence of significant levels of problem allergens, molds, or other conditions is discussed at ALLERGY TEST LIMITATIONS.
- See MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE for advice on determining when it is appropriate and justified to order inspections and tests of a building for mold or allergens.
- See BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS for information about recognizing and removing these indoor contaminants.
- See ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY for our full list of environmental hazard identification and remedy related to buildings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the detection & identification of common indoor allergens and related particles
Question: what are the particles that come out of a household vacuum cleaner?
I wish you had more photos of things that come out of a vacuum. My apartment has old carpet and the previous owner had cats. For about 6 months now I've had to dust out my vacuum after every room twice a week. The can has flat heavy grey mounds in it and the filter is loaded with fine white to light grey powder. Is this against the law? Our agent says they do Not change carpet while occupied. I never cared about the burns or the stains that came back after we moved in, but this dust never ever goes away
Cloverallovermd@hotmail - Karen 9/30/11
Reply:
Karen,
the main particles collected from a carpet used on floor surfaces will be carpet fibers and non-fungal granular debris - road dirt and dust.
Here we illustrate the more common and perhaps irritating particles found in carpeting, except that mold is dealt with separately as it's such a large topic. See CARPET MOLD.
I can't make a reliable guess about the light powder you find in your vacuum, but two common sources of stuff that has that appearance are dusts and powders used as "dry" carpet cleaners and deodorants and in some cases particles of foam carpet backing below a deteriorated carpet.
Unfortunately your agent is telling you you are out of luck - not having requested removal, subfloor cleaning, and new carpets before you moved in. We can't say what hazards (if any) are present in your carpeting just from your description. But if that is shown to be a health hazard in the building you can review that concern vis-a-vis the terms of your lease.
Question: which particles are mite fecals and which are mold spores
Your picture on the web site of the dust mite waste and penicillin does not allow the viewer to know which is which. After considering it for a while I believe the segmented one must be the penicillin, - Frank - 9/13/12
Reply:
Thanks for the question, Frank. In the article above we have changed the text to make clear that the larger particles are the dust mite fecals - they are much much larger than typical Penicillium or Aspergillus mold spores.
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Questions & answers about how to identify common indoor allergens and related particles by transmitted light microscopy..
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Technical Reviewers & References
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
ALLERGENS in BUILDINGS, RECOGNIZING - see detailed links at page top & left
- Toxic Gas Indoor Exposure Hazards - list of common indoor gases, tests, allowable exposure levels
- Carbon Dioxide Gas - C02 as a guess at air freshness.
- Insulation & venting: general air quality, makeup air, carbon dioxide as indicator of air exchanges
- Is Indoor Air Quality a Problem in our Home? industrial hygienists view
- MedicineNet.com provides a detailed definition of ELISA at www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9099
- ELISA testing accuracy: Here's a critique of ELISA
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompted my interest in actually screening for the particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
- Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases)
- Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home",
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
- US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
- US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol
- "IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
- Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
- Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
- Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
- Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon) - The Atlas of Clinical Fungi is also available on CD ROM
- Atlas of Mold Related Illness Symptoms & Complaints - long list of both documented, studied mold related illness, and complaints ascribed to mold contamination or allergens in buildings
- Cat Dander: how to inspect and test a building for past or current presence of cats, cat hair, cat dander, and cat allergens
- Clinical Atlas of Mold Toxicity - An Online Description of Toxic, Pathogenic, Allergenic Fungi, Fungal Diseases
- Fiberglass Insulation Contains Mold© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation
- Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
- Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
- Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
- Mold Action Guide detailed guide on finding, removing, and preventing indoor mold contamination
- Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6 (buy this book at Amazon)
- Odors, Odor Detection, Smells, & Gases how to find and identify sources of noxious or toxic odors and gases
- Other environmental risks, Our much longer list: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, etc.
- Ozone: The Use of Ozone Indoors for Control of Odors and Mold
Removal in buildings: A Summary of Hazards and False Claims.
- Pollen Allergens: identification, plant pollen and indoor air quality
- Products to Reduce Mold & Allergy Problems to reduce indoor mold or allergen levels: air cleaners, air purifiers, dust mite covers, vacuum cleaners, crawl space vents
- "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
- "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
- "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens,"
Patricia Donald,
Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology,
Lewis Jett
Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
- "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
- US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
- US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol
- ...
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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