Low prevalence of allergy to cockroach and latex in asthmatic patients in Eskisehir (Anatolia), Turkey.
Allergy to cockroach and latex are said to be causes of asthma particularly in some groups. We studied allergy to cockroach and latex in asthmatic patients from Eskisehir (Anatolia), Turkey in order to determine whether these allergens play an important role in the Anatolian region. A total of 216 asthmatic patients (mean age 43.7+/-11.0 years) were skin tested with common aeroallergens, Blatella germanica and latex. Sixty-three patients were allergic (29.1%) and 153 were nonallergic (70.8%) according to skin test results. Sensitization to pollens (57%) and mites (55.5%) was most common among allergic patients. We found a low sensitization to cockroach (4.7%) and latex (1.4%). We suggested that cockroach sensitization plays a small role in sensitization in our geographic area and that latex sensitization is low in allergic asthmatic patients who were referred for reasons other than latex-related symptoms.
Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Osmangazi University School of Medicine, Eskisehir, Turkey.
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Harmanci
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Metintas
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Alatas
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Erginel
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Mutlu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
D007073:Immunoglobulin E