title: Serum IgE reactivity to Malassezia furfur extract and recombinant M. furfur allergens in patients with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: IgE reactivity to the opportunistic yeast Malassezia furfur can be found in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). We have previously cloned and expressed 6 recombinant allergens (rMal f 1, rMal f 5-9) from M. furfur. In the present study, we used ImmunoCAP to investigate whether these rMal f allergens can be useful in the diagnosis of M. furfur-associated AD compared with the M. furfur extract. A total of 156 adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of AD participated in the study. Sixty-four percent had increased total serum IgE levels, 79% had specific IgE antibodies to common inhalant allergens and 47% had IgE antibodies to M. furfur extract. IgE antibodies to any of the rMal f allergens were detected among 86 (55%) of the patients, 14 (16%) of whom did not react to the M. furfur extract. Any individual rMal f allergen detected between 32% and 89% of the patients ImmunoCAP-positive to the M. furfur extract, with the highest sensitivity for rMal f 9. Therefore, a couple of individual rMal f allergens can improve the diagnosis of M. furfur-associated IgE allergies in patients with AD.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Unit of Yeast Molecular Genetic, Stockholm Branch, Sweden. azar@licr.ki.se
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zargari
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eshaghi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bäck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scheynius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008290:Malassezia / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E