Dander is material shed from the body of humans and other animals that have fur, hair, or feathers. The term is similar to
dandruff
Dandruff is a skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. Symptoms include flaking and sometimes mild itchiness. It can result in social or self-esteem problems. A more severe form of the condition, which includes inflammation of the skin, ...
, when an excess of flakes becomes visible. Skin flakes that come off the main body of an animal are dander, while the flakes of skin called dandruff come from the scalp and are composed of epithelial skin cells. The surface layer of mammalian skin is called the
stratum corneum, which is shed as part of normal skin replacement.
Dander is microscopic, and can be transported through the air in
house dust
Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in home ...
, where it forms the diet of the
dust mites
House dust mites (HDM, or simply dust mites) are various species of acariform mites belonging to the family Pyroglyphidae that are found in association with dust in dwellings. They are known for causing allergies.
Biology
Species
The curren ...
. Through the air, dander can enter the mucous membranes in the nose and lungs, causing allergies in susceptible individuals, largely through the mechanism of allergy to proteins in the bodies of the dust mites that live on dander. Dander builds up in carpets and in mattresses and pillows, so smooth surfaces predispose to an environment where levels of dander can be controlled more easily.
More pet dander is sloughed off in older animals than in younger animals. Dander build up can be a cause of
allergies
Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermat ...
, such as
allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, i ...
, in humans. Dr. Paivi Salo, an allergy expert at the National Institute of Health, states that "airborne allergies affect approximately 10-30% of adults and 40% of children." Damp dusting and vacuum cleaners with sealed bodies and fitted with
HEPA
HEPA (, high-efficiency particulate air) filter, also known as high-efficiency particulate absorbing filter and high-efficiency particulate arrestance filter, is an efficiency standard of air filters.
Filters meeting the HEPA standard must s ...
filters reduce re-distribution of the dander dust, with associated dust mites, into the air.
has it that dander is a dialect synonym of
dandruff
Dandruff is a skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. Symptoms include flaking and sometimes mild itchiness. It can result in social or self-esteem problems. A more severe form of the condition, which includes inflammation of the skin, ...
, possibly from Yorkshire in England.
[OED]
See also
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Allergy to cats
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Allergy to dogs
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Dandruff
Dandruff is a skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. Symptoms include flaking and sometimes mild itchiness. It can result in social or self-esteem problems. A more severe form of the condition, which includes inflammation of the skin, ...
*
Powder down
The down of birds is a layer of fine feathers found under the tougher exterior feathers. Very young birds are clad only in down. Powder down is a specialized type of down found only in a few groups of birds. Down is a fine thermal insulator an ...
References
External links
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* http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants/pet-dander.html
Animal physiology
Mammal anatomy
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