title: Development of a Dot-Blot Assay for the Detection of Mould-Specific IgE in the Belgian Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on mould sensitization in the general population are scarce and mostly on Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To validate a dot-blot assay for the detection of specific IgE and evaluate the prevalence of mould sensitization in a healthy population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dot-blot assay was validated against the CAP test. Sensitization rate to ten common indoor and outdoor mould species in 344 serum samples was calculated. For each serum with more than one reactivity, the "major sensitization" defined as the strongest response against a single mould species was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intra- and inter-assay variations were both below 20%, and the positivity threshold of the test was of 0.418 kU/L for A. fumigatus. Correlation with CAP results was strong. The overall prevalence of sensitization was 32.8%, and the commonest sensitizations were against A. alternaria, A. flavus and A. niger (around 15%). The most frequent "major reactivities" were against A. niger and A. alternata (20-30%). In 25.1% of the samples, "major reactivities" were directed against a group of moulds commonly found indoor (Penicillium spp., Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium sphaerospermum and Cladosporium cladosporioides).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dot-blot assay was validated for the detection of mould-specific IgE. In the general population, sensitization to indoor species was common and accounted for 25% of overall mould sensitizations.
authors.affiliation: Program Allergology - Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), 642, Engelandstraat, 1180, Brussels, Belgium. muriel.vincent@wiv-isp.be.
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.affiliation: Program Host-Pathogen Interaction - Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology and of Translational Research, CHU Brugmann (Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corazza
authors.affiliation: Program Allergology - Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), 642, Engelandstraat, 1180, Brussels, Belgium.|Program Host-Pathogen Interaction - Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huygen
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Immunology and Allergology, CHU Brugmann (Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.affiliation: Program Allergology - Scientific Service Immunology, WIV-ISP (site Uccle), 642, Engelandstraat, 1180, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Denis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Dot-blot; IgE detection; Indoor mould species; Mould sensitization