PMID- 18302835
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080605
LR  - 20161020
IS  - 1088-5412 (Print)
IS  - 1088-5412 (Linking)
VI  - 29
IP  - 1
DP  - 2008 Jan-Feb
TI  - Prevalence of allergic sensitization to indoor fungi in West Virginia.
PG  - 29-34
LID - 10.2500/aap2008.29.3076 [doi]
AB  - Exposure to indoor fungi is of growing concern in residential and occupational 
      environments in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine the 
      prevalence of sensitization to common indoor fungal species in an atopic 
      population. We evaluated 102 patients (73 female and 29 male patients) for 
      immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity to a panel of skin-prick test (SPT) reagents 
      used for routine allergy testing. Patients also were tested for six additional 
      fungi that are common indoor contaminants. All patients had symptoms consistent 
      with allergic rhinitis or asthma. The presence of specific IgE against the fungal 
      species was determined using immunoblotting. Of the 102 eligible patients, 68% 
      had at least one positive skin test. The most prevalent positive SPTs were to 
      dust mites, cats, vernal grass, and short ragweed. Overall, 21/102 (21%) patients 
      with asthma or allergic rhinitis were skin test positive to at least one fungal 
      extract. Of the patients with a positive SPT to fungi, 12/21 (58%) showed 
      sensitivity to one or more of the newly tested species; most notably Trichoderma 
      viride (8%), Chaetomium globosum (7%), Paecilomyces variotii (7%), and Acremonium 
      strictum (6%). Immunoblotting revealed specific IgE against a number of protein 
      bands belonging to these fungal species. The prevalence of fungal sensitization 
      was common, particularly for indoor fungal contaminants that are not routinely 
      included in SPT panels. Cross-reactivity with other fungi may partially explain 
      our results; however, skin testing for these indoor fungi may provide useful 
      diagnostic information.
FAU - Beezhold, Donald H
AU  - Beezhold DH
AD  - Allergy and Clinical Immunology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, 
      National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease 
      Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505-2888, USA. 
      DBeezhold@cdc.gov
FAU - Green, Brett J
AU  - Green BJ
FAU - Blachere, Francoise M
AU  - Blachere FM
FAU - Schmechel, Detlef
AU  - Schmechel D
FAU - Weissman, David N
AU  - Weissman DN
FAU - Velickoff, Deborah
AU  - Velickoff D
FAU - Hogan, Mary Beth
AU  - Hogan MB
FAU - Wilson, Nevin W
AU  - Wilson NW
LA  - eng
GR  - Y1-ES-0001/ES/NIEHS NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
PL  - United States
TA  - Allergy Asthma Proc
JT  - Allergy and asthma proceedings
JID - 9603640
RN  - 0 (Antigens, Fungal)
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adolescent
MH  - Adult
MH  - Aged
MH  - Antigens, Fungal/immunology
MH  - Child
MH  - Female
MH  - Fungi/*immunology
MH  - Housing
MH  - Humans
MH  - Immunoglobulin E/analysis
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Prevalence
MH  - Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial/diagnosis/*epidemiology
MH  - Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/diagnosis/epidemiology
MH  - Skin Tests
MH  - West Virginia/epidemiology
EDAT- 2008/02/28 09:00
MHDA- 2008/06/06 09:00
CRDT- 2008/02/28 09:00
PHST- 2008/02/28 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/06/06 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2008/02/28 09:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.2500/aap2008.29.3076 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Allergy Asthma Proc. 2008 Jan-Feb;29(1):29-34. doi: 10.2500/aap2008.29.3076.