Allergenic dermatophagoides mites causing asthma among schoolchildren at Ain-Shams District, Cairo, Egypt

The present study was performed on house dust samples collected from ten homes of schoolchildren suffering from asthma at Ain-Shams district, over a period of two years [2008 and 2009]. The data revealed that the total annual density of the two allergenic mites [Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus [Trouessart] and Dermatophagoides farinae [Hughes] was 202 individual mites with 22 asthmatic children in the first year, and individual mites increased to 268 with 36 asthmatic children in the second year. The two house dust mites were more abundant in bedrooms than in living ones [292 and 187 mites, respectively]. The prevalence of the house dust mites on the mattresses and furniture were higher in bedrooms and living rooms than on the floors [340 and 140 mite, respectively]. Winter season recorded the highest prevalence for both mites in the first and second year [87 and 110, respectively]. Summer represented the lowest values [19 and 25, respectively]

Caracterización epidemiológica de pacientes con sospecha de atopía, evaluados mediante Prick test: IX Región (2007-2009) / Epidemiological characterization of patients with suspicion of atopy, evaluated through Prick test: IX Region (2007-2009)

Las enfermedades alérgicas constituyen una importante causa de morbilidad en la población general. OBJETIVO: Describir la distribución de la sensibilización para AI y AA mediante Prick test (PT), en una población seleccionada de pacientes de la Región de la Araucanía con sospecha clínica de atopía, según sexo, edad, etnia y estación del año durante los años 2007 al 2009. PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Estudio de corte transversal, en un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia de 3055 pacientes, derivados para estudio mediante PT, al Centro de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento de Enfermedades Respiratorias desde Enero 2007 a Diciembre 2009. El PT se realizó con técnica estandarizada para AI y/o AA. Los datos fueron ingresados en el programa Microsoft Excel y analizados con el programa Stata 10.0. RESULTADOS: De un total de 3055 pacientes, 53,9 por ciento son mujeres, 4,8 por ciento son de etnia mapuche. El promedio de edad 20,7+/-19,13 años con un rango de 1 a 93 años. Del total de pacientes, 45,2 por ciento presentaron sensibilización para AI, 2,3 por ciento para AA y un 21 por ciento para ambos. CONCLUSIONES: En la población estudiada, se observó mayor sensibilización al polvo de habitación. Destaca la sensibilización a Dermatofagoide pteronyssinus en la población masculina, presentando una diferencia estadísticamente significativa con respecto a la población femenina.

The allergic diseases constitute an important reason of morbidity in the general population. AIM: Describe the distribution of the sensitization for AI and AA through Prick test (PT), in a selected population of patients from the Araucanía Region with clinical suspicion of atopy, according to sex, age, ethnic group and season of the year, during the years 2007 to 2009. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Transversal cut study, in a non-probability sample of 3055 patients, derived for study through PT to the Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Diseases from January 2007 to December 2009. The PT was realized by standardized technique for AI and / or AA. The information was ingresed by the program Microsoft Excel and analyzed by the program Stata 10.0. RESULTS: Of a total of 3055 patients, 53,9 percent are women, 4,8 percent are Mapuche. The average of age 20,7 +/-19,13years with a range from 1 to 93 years. Of the total of patients, 45,2 percent presented sensitization for AI, 2,3 percent for AA and 21 percent for both. CONCLUSIONS: In the population studied, we observed increased sensitization to house dust. Stresses the Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus sensitization in the male population, showing a statistically significant difference compared to the female population.

House dust mite allergen levels in Chiang Mai homes.

The quantitative assays for house dust mite (HDM) allergens provide a valid index of exposure and can be used for risk evaluation. We assessed group I HDM allergen levels in mattress and living room floor dust from 35 Chiang Mai homes and identified factors associated with high allergen levels. One-third of mattress and living room floor dust had group I HDM allergen levels of between 2-10 microg/g. Two-thirds of mattress dust and a small amount of living room floor dust had group I HDM allergen levels of over 10 microg/g. The geometric means of Der p I, Der f I and total group I allergens in mattress and living room floor dust were 8.61, 2.88, and 15.81 microg/g and 1.61, 0.27 and 2.43 microg/g, respectively. Mattresses made of kapok and rugs kept in the living room were associated with high group I allergen levels.

Allergen sensitization to aeroallergens including Blomia tropicalis among adult and childhood asthmatics in Thailand.

To study prevalence of allergen sensitization among asthmatics in Thailand, skin prick tests (SPT) were performed in 84 pediatric, 71 adult asthmatics and 71 adult volunteers. Allergen extracts used for testing included common allergens in Thailand and in Singapore. The incidence of positive SPT to any allergen among the three groups (childhood, adult patients and adult controls) were 64.3%, 43.7% and 35.2%, respectively. Dermatophagoides were the most common allergens sensitized by both pediatric (58.3%) and adult asthmatics (40.8%). Twenty-four children (28.6%) and 8 adult patients (11.3%) were sensitized to storage mites (Blomia tropicalis and/or Austroglyciphagus malaysiensis). All patients sensitized to Blomia tropicalis were sensitized to Dermatophagoides. Twenty-seven percent and 15.5% of childhood and adult asthmatics were sensitized to cockroach allergens. The rates of sensitization to oil palm pollen in childhood and adult asthmatics were 8.3% and 5.6%, respectively. Sensitization to other pollens and spores were less than 5%. This study confirms the importance of Dermatophagoides among Thai asthmatics.