Staphylococcal enterotoxin-specific IgE antibodies in atopic dermatitis.
BACKGROUND
The authors clarified the clinical significance of the measurement of serum concentrations of specific IgE antibodies to staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) A- and SEB in atopic dermatitis (AD).


METHODS
The serum concentrations of SEA- and SEB-specific IgE antibodies in 140 pediatric patients with AD were measured with an immuno CAP -radioallergosorbent test system (RAST). To check the cross-reaction of specific IgE antibodies to SEA/SEB and other allergens, the CAP RAST fluorescent enzyme immunoassay inhibition test was performed.


RESULTS
Forty-seven patients (33.6%) tested positive for either SEA- or SEB-specific IgE antibodies. School children showed higher positive rates of SEA/SEB-specific IgE antibodies than infants or young children. The patients with severe AD and those with exacerbation of symptoms in summer, had higher positive rates of SEA/SEB-specific IgE antibodies than patients with mild AD or those with exacerbation in winter. In addition, the positive rates of specific IgE antibodies to both dog-dander and cat-dander were higher in patients with positive SEA/SEB-specific IgE antibodies than in patients with negative ones. No cross-reactions occurred among specific IgE antibodies to SEA/SEB and dog/cat dander with one patient's serum, which had positive IgE-specific antibodies against cat/dog dander and SEA/SEB. The positive rate of SEA/SEB-specific IgE antibodies in the patients with dogs and/or cats as pets was 48.4%, which was higher than in those with no pets.


CONCLUSIONS
Atopic dermatitis patients who exhibit high positive rates of SEA/SEB-specific IgE antibodies were found to be school children, severe cases, cases with high serum concentrations of total IgE, cases with exacerbation in summer, and cases with dogs and/or cats as pets. The measurement of serum concentrations of specific IgE antibodies to SEA and SEB, thus has some value for evaluating AD patients.
Ide
Fumihito
F
Department of Pediatrics, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Yamaguchi, Japan.
Matsubara
Tomoyo
T
Kaneko
Miho
M
Ichiyama
Takashi
T
Mukouyama
Tokuko
T
Furukawa
Susumu
S
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D002415:Cats / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000276:immunology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012621:Seasons; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000485:Allergens; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins; D007073:Immunoglobulin E