title: Respiratory allergy to airborne fungi in São Luís--MA: clinical aspects and levels of IgE in a structured asthma program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory allergies are becoming increasingly frequent, especially based on studies of asthma and rhinitis. It is estimated that 20-30% of the world's population is affected. Allergic reactions are caused by the production of IgE antibodies specific to inhaled allergens, such as fungi in the air. This study aimed to analyze the level of specific IgE against airborne fungi in patients with a clinical diagnosis of asthma and rhinitis/sinusitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 158 patients enrolled in the Program of Support for Asthmatic Patient, and 20 controls were studied. Clinical data from the period of 2007-2008 were surveyed using a protocol form. ELISAs were performed to quantify the levels of total and specific IgE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 158 patients diagnosed with asthma, 71 had rhinitis and 32 had sinusitis. There was a predominance of females and residents of urban areas. The main symptoms reported were dyspnea, cough, wheezing and nasal obstruction. There was a statistically significant relationship between dyspnea and seropositivity for Fusarium (p = 0.01) and Penicillium (p = 0.005) and between cough and seropositivity for Aspergillus (p = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-Penicillium (79.7%) and anti-Fusarium IgE (77.8%) were found to have the highest prevalence of seropositivity in individuals with asthma and rhinitis/sinusitis. Sensitivity to fungi was higher in symptomatic individuals. The identification of environmental fungi is essential for the diagnosis of respiratory allergy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal Do Maranhão , São Luís , Brazil .
authors.forename: Geusa Felipa De Barros
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.forename: Fábio Costa
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Marcos Antonio Custódio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Neto da Silva
authors.forename: Anna Cyntia Brandão
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Rosane Nassar
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Meireles Guerra
authors.forename: Graça Maria de Castro
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Walbert Edson
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Muniz Filho
authors.forename: Maria do Rosário da Silva Ramos
authors.initials: Mdo R
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaror
authors.forename: Maria do Desterro Soares
authors.initials: Mdo D
authors.lastname: Brandão Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001938:Brazil; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Education; environmental development; epidemiology; rhinitis/sinusitis