[Elimination of airborne allergens from the household environment].

Exposure to allergens could be either a risk factor of sensitization and nonspecific hyperresponsiveness in genetically predisposed patients or a risk of onset of asthma attack in certain allergic asthma. During the past 20 years, in western countries the houses have become higher and the number of furred pets have increased and have been more kept inside the house which makes probable that exposure to indoor aeroallergen has increased. The development of new methods of allergen measurements allows a more precise identification of allergen source and reservoirs, an assessment of allergen exposure and a monitoring of allergen eviction methods. Concerning mite allergens, controlled studies which showed a clinical efficacy are those with a global mite eviction and at least a 6 months follow-up for cat and dog allergens, high efficiency-filters air cleaners or vacuum-cleaners are able to reduce airborne cat or dog allergen levels. According to the increasing number of papers about allergen eviction, it seems logical to propose allergen eviction as "first line treatment" of allergic asthma. In the future, it would be interesting to develop biological markers to identify more accurately patients who have a clinical improvement after allergen eviction.