title: Comparative prevalence of sensitization to common animal, plant and mould allergens in subjects with asthma, or atopic dermatitis and/or allergic rhinitis living in a tropical environment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Current information suggests that the expression of allergic diseases is determined by the exposure and nature of the allergen. The objectives of the present study were to determine if the nature of allergenic exposition to animal, plant or fungal allergens influenced the clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR) or asthma (AS) in patients living in a tropical environment. The prevalence and degree of sensitization to these allergens were analysed by age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1496 atopic cases, grouped according to the primary diagnosis of AD or AR or AS, were skin tested using a standardized allergen panel. Participants were categorized by age groups. The atopic index (AI) and mean weal diameter (MWD) as well as the prevalence of positive skin tests were determined for each of the patient groups and compared by age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of atopy as well as the AI and the MWD peaked at 6-15 years of age and declined thereafter. In all the patients tested, the prevalence of sensitization was, in decreasing order; dust mites 94.3%, cockroach 41.5%, pets 31.5%, plant allergens 31.1% and fungal 19.4%. Eight hundred and ninety-three atopic patients were exclusively sensitized only to animal allergens. Of these, 38.4% had AD, 31.3% had AR and 30.5% with AS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate that for patients with AD, AR and AS living in a tropical environment, the prevalence of positive skin reactions to animal allergens is highest followed by plant and fungal allergens. We did not observe any association between the type of allergen and clinical manifestations. The index of atopy was similar for both sexes. The prevalence and degree of sensitization were shown to peak in young adults independent of the allergen in AD and AR patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Ponce School of Medicine, Ponce, Puerto Rico Center for Human Genomics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. asthma@coqui.net
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montealegre
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chardon
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zavala
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayona
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D010944:Plants / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012882:Skin Tests; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens