title: [Sensitization to aeroallergens in allergic patients from Medellin, Colombia].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergen sensitization is the first step in the onset of allergic diseases. Sensitizing sources may vary among geographic region but identification is needed to develop effective treatment as specific avoidance measures and immunotherapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of sensitization to several sources of aeroallergens by prick skin tests, in a group of patients with rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma or atopic dermatitis in a tropical city.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical records of patients and their results of skin prick tests with aeroallergens, including Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farina, during the period of January 2008 to December 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred allergic patients with sensitization to 30 different allergens were included. House dust mites (78%), dog dander (47%) and cockroach (21.5%) were the most frequent positive allergens. We observed a significative sensitization pattern with house dust mites, dog dander, molds and piggeon droppings, associated with systemic allergic sensitization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As we expect, mites are the main source of sensitization in Medellin. However, other sources common in other regions such as the pollen grains are rare. The identification of the sources could help to predict in young children allergic phenotypes.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de AlergologÌa ClÌnica y Experimental (GACE), Universidad de Antioquia, MedellÌn Colombia. jotamsc@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Caraballo
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diez-Zuluaga
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cardona-Villa
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D003105:Colombia; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens