Bleach Found to Neutralize Allergens

[Guest guest]

I would like to see the research on this one.Conflict of interest

would'nt you think.BIG BUCKS!!!!!!!

This study was partially funded by a grant from The Clorox Company.

http://press.arrivenet.com/health/article.php/696384.html

Bleach Found to Neutralize Allergens

First-ever Human Studies Show Bleach Solution Reduces Allergenic

Properties of Mold

Distribution Source : ArriveNet

Date : Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Denver, CO -- (ArriveNet - Sep 21, 2005) -- Researchers at National

Jewish Medical and Research Center have demonstrated that dilute

bleach not only kills common household mold, but may also neutralize

the mold allergens that cause most mold-related health complaints.

The study, published in the September issue of The Journal of

Allergy and Clinical Immunology, is the first to test the effect on

allergic individuals of mold spores treated with common household

bleach.

" It has long been known that bleach can kill mold. However, dead

mold may remain allergenic, " said lead author Martyny, Ph.D.,

associate professor of medicine at National Jewish. " We found that,

under laboratory conditions, treating mold with bleach lowered

allergic reactions to the mold in allergic patients. "

The need for denaturing or neutralizing mold allergens is a critical

step in mold treatment that has not been fully understood.

Currently, most recommendations for mold remediation call for

removal since dead mold retains its ability to trigger allergic

reactions, according to Dr. Martyny.

The researchers grew the common fungus Aspergillus fumigatus on

building materials for two weeks, and then sprayed some with a

dilute household bleach solution (1:16 bleach to water), some with

Tilex® Mold & Mildew Remover, a cleaning product containing both

bleach and detergent, and others only with distilled water as a

control. They then compared the viability and the allergenicity of

the treated and untreated mold.

The researchers found that the use of the dilute bleach solution

killed the A. fumigatus spores. When viewed using an electron

microscope, the treated fungal spores appeared smaller, and lacked

the surface structures present on healthy spores. In addition,

surface allergens were no longer detected by ELISA antibody-binding

assays, suggesting that the spores were no longer allergenic.

The National Jewish researchers then allergy-tested eight

Aspergillus-allergic individuals with solutions from the bleach and

Tilex®-treated building materials. Seven of the eight allergic

individuals did not react to the bleach-treated building materials,

and six did not react to the Tilex®-treated building materials. This

evidence suggests that, under laboratory conditions, fungal-

contaminated building materials treated with dilute bleach or Tilex

Mold & Mildew Remover® may have significantly reduced allergic

health effects.

" This study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. In

order to assure that the bleach solutions will function similarly

under actual field conditions, additional experiments will need to

be conducted, " said Dr. Martyny. " We do believe, however, that there

is good evidence that bleach does have the ability to significantly

reduce the allergenic properties of common household mold under some

conditions. "

This study was partially funded by a grant from The Clorox Company.

National Jewish is the only medical and research center in the

United Stated devoted entirely to respiratory, allergic, and immune-

system diseases, including asthma, allergies, and chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease. It is a non-profit, non-sectarian

institution dedicated to enhancing prevention, treatment, and cures

through research, and to developing and providing innovative

clinical programs for patients regardless of age, religion, race, or

ability to pay.