Anyone can be sensitized to allergens, particularly if their exposure is intense and frequent. Sometimes the reaction is simply sneezing. However, about 15 percent of those who become sensitized develop "atopic" allergic disorders, such as asthma, hay fever or dermatitis. Atopic persons usually have relatives who suffer from allergies, too.

The indoor or dust allergy sufferer tends to suffer the most in the fall and continuing through the winter when the home's heating system stirs up the irritating particles.

Dust is made up of a number of particles, such as lint, hair, animal dander, dirt, ash, fungi, dust mite feces, mold spores, ragweed and bacteria. Any and all of these elements can cause an allergic reaction.

Dust mites are microscopic creatures that live on the scales of human skin that is shed onto carpets, upholstery and bedding. They are known as the prime cause of asthma and other breathing difficulty in allergy sufferers. The real problem is the dust mites' feces or waste. These mites can be controlled through extensive cleaning and environmental control measures.

An estimated 6 million Americans are allergic to cats. A study by allergists at the University of Virginia found that proper vacuuming can be effective in reducing allergic reactions to cats. By using a high filtration. vacuum cleaner, the study found that the cat allergens in the carpet will be reduced with no increase in the number of airborne cat allergen particles. The use of a water-filtered vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, will cause the number of airborne cat allergens to double, according to the study.

As yet, there are no cures for allergies, but your doctor can advise you on ways to make your life as an allergy sufferer more manageable. This will probably consist of a combination of methods of controlling your environment and, in some cases, medication.

Not necessarily. However, if you are a serious allergy sufferer, it would be wise to re-evaluate your living environment. Evaluate to determine if there are factors contributing to your suffering that you could just as easily live without. For some people, this will mean removing items that collect dust, such as shag carpeting, heavy draperies, excessive toys and knickknacks. For others, it might mean finding a new home for the family pet.

The next step is to work to keep all floors and surfaces dust-free.

Counter tops, window sills and ftirniture can be wiped down with a wet cloth. This will help keep dust from flying back into the air. If you own a special high-filtration vacuum cleaner, you should be able to control surface dust by using various attachments.

Regular household vacuum cleaners do tend to redistribute many of the particles that are real problems for allergy and asthma sufferers back into the air. For this reason, it is advisable to use a special high-filtration vacuum cleaner that captures and contains even the finest particles.

The best vacuum cleaners are those with the highest filtration capacity since many dust particles are smaller than one micron in size. Vacuum cleaners that offer high-filtration capabilities will do the best job of keeping your environment clean.

A vacuum cleaner should be able to collect 99.97% of all particles down to and including 0.3 microns in size. To put a micron in perspective, a human hair measures 80-100 microns in diameter. This level of filtration is known as 1-IEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration.

Yes, in addition to offering high filtration, the better specialty vacuum cleaners also offer superior suction capabilities. By using one of these vacuum cleaners, an allergy sufferer should be able to cut back on the number of times per week he or she has to vacuum the home.

The Family Vac, manufactured by Nilfisk-Advance America, Inc., is capable of collecting 99.97% of all particles down to and including 0.3 micron sized particles. Nilfisk-Advance specializes in the collection of hazardous and toxic particles such as asbestos and lead. These vacuum cleaners are also used by NASA to clean the space shuttle cargo bay, high technology cleanrooms and nuclear facilities.