title: Early House Dust Mite Sensitivity in Mumbai Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify house dust mite (HDM) sensitivity by skin prick test in children with allergic rhinitis, allergic wheezing and eczema.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, children with persistent or recurrent allergic symptoms of rhinitis, wheezing and eczema were enrolled to undergo skin prick testing. Sensitivity was checked for three mites: Dermatophagoide farinae, Dermatophagoide pteronyssinus, and Blomia tropicalis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total 92 children underwent skin prick test; 49 (53.2 %) showed significant positivity to one or more dust mite. In the HDM sensitized group, a positive family history of allergic disorders was present in 32 children (65.3 %). In the HDM sensitized group, 18 (36.7 %) children had allergic rhinitis. The youngest child in this group was 12-mo-old. Ten (55.55 %) children were less than 24 mo of age. Significant sensitization to mites was detected in 7 (14.28 %) children with eczema. All children were below 24 mo of age. In children with a tendency to wheeze frequently without any evidence of infections or other systemic disease, 24 (48.9 %) had sensitization to HDM. The youngest child was 15 mo of age. Ten (41.6 %) children were below 24 mo of age. Sensitivity to Blomia tropicalis was detected in 6 (12.24 %) children. Significantly more number of children were sensitive to D. pteronyssinus as compared to D. farinae (65.31 % vs. 46.94 %; p = 0.034).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children in Mumbai show early sensitization to HDM. D. pteronyssinus is the commonest offending allergen in the index study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, H. Bhagwati Municipal Hospital, Borivali West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400092, India. docarpit@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Arpit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, Bombay Hospital, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Sciences, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tripathi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D039981:Pyroglyphidae / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods; D013223:Statistics as Topic
keywords: Blomia tropicalis; House dust mites; Sensitization