Study suggests possible banal reason for you to always be allergic; understand if it’s worrying

Are you one of those people who live having allergic crises? Your smartphone may be the cause of your allergy🇧🇷 At least that’s what suggests a new study presented this month at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), in Louisville, Kentucky, United States.

Research has shown that there are elevated levels of dog and cat allergens, as well as β-D glucans (BDG), found in fungal cell walls, and endotoxins, which are bacterial toxins found in the environment, in cell phones.

“BDGs are found in the cell walls of fungi and have been found in many environments and surfaces, causing chronic symptoms of irritation in the airways. Endotoxin is a potent inflammatory agent and a marker of exposure to Gram-negative bacteria,” says Hana Rurna, lead author of the study.

Read more: 9 natural ways to relieve allergy symptoms

How was the study done?

To carry out the study, the researchers created phone models with a size and surface similar to a real smartphone. The levels of allergens, BDG and endotoxins in the “cells” of 15 volunteers were measured. In addition, the models were cleaned as part of the test using electrostatic wipes and isopropyl alcohol wipes.

According to Peter Thorne, PhD, professor at the Department of Public Health at the University of Iowa and co-author of the study, cleaning the “cells” was effective in reducing BDG and endotoxins when using a combination of chlorhexidine/cetylpyridinium. The removal of allergens from dogs and cats was more effective with the use of benzyl benzoate and tannic acid.

“The study demonstrates exposure to inhalant allergens and molecules that trigger innate immune responses from a source that most people have not considered. If you have allergies or asthma, you may want to consider cleaning your smartphone more frequently to minimize exposure to these allergens and asthma triggers,” Peter said in a press release.

Can the cell phone really be the cause of your allergy?

For Javier Ricardo Carbajal Lizárraga, allergist and immunologist, the presence of mites and fungal debris on surfaces that mimic cell phones can happen in any other unsanitary surface in the home as well🇧🇷

“We need to remember that, when it comes to mites, what causes allergies are digestive proteins that are eliminated in the fecal acorns excreted by them. For any surface to contain these allergens, it needs to be colonized by microbes”, explains the expert.

Know more: Respiratory allergy: know the symptoms and treatments

Javier also clarifies that the mites live and reproduce in humid environments and with abundant rest of exfoliated skin, such as beds, pillows and armchairs. As for fungi, what triggers allergies are the spores released by them and this only happens when these microorganisms colonize surfaces, which need to be highly humid, unlike the working condition of any electronic device.

The allergist also claims that allergy is developed through repeated exposure to allergens in genetically predisposed individuals. “It is frivolous to consider that these concentrations of mite and fungus remains could be sufficient to produce allergic sensitization in any individual”, he says.

However, it is important to sanitize your cell phone!

Anyway, it is valid to keep the surface of your smartphone always sanitizedespecially considering that people touch their cell phones more than 2,600 times a day, according to a report published in 2016.

“Cell phones can indeed be sources of contamination for various infectious microorganisms, such as SarsCov-2 (Covid-19), Epstein Barr virus (mononucleosis) and Herpes simplex, among others, especially when shared between people”, he explains. Javier.

Regarding the mites present in the smartphone, the allergist explains that cleaning with a damp cloth should be enough. “It may not be ideal when it comes to eliminating infectious agents, but any microbicidal substance that does not harm the surface or the functioning of the device should be enough to prevent us”, concludes the specialist.