title: Evidence refuting the contribution of the fungus Aspergillus penicillioides to the allergenicity of the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.
abstract: This communication demonstrates unequivocally that the fungi associated with house dust mites do not contribute to mite allergenicity. The evidence is twofold: first, larval mites which lack fungi have allergen profiles indistinguishable from fungus-bearing adult mites. Second, the allergen profile of experimentally-derived fungus-free adult mites and mites re-fed the fungus Aspergillus penicillioides are identical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Oxford University, UK.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000276:immunology*; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D007073:Immunoglobulin E