A Brief Survey of Fungi as Allergen in Respiratory Allergic Patients by Intradermal Skin Sensitivity Test in Terai Area

Abstract

The present survey was conducted to observe allergic effect of various fungi in patients of respiratory allergy of terai area.Terai area has humid, subtropical climate, warm in winter and hot in summer total of 96 patients were studied after full clinical examination. Age group of patients was 12 to 48 yrs and male female ratio was 3:2.About 12% patients had acute problem of breathlessness and rhinitis while rest were having chronic respiratory allergy. Intradermal test was performed to observe skin sensitivity.Rhizopus nigricans was found most offending fungal allergen (50%), Next to it was Aspergillus fumigates (30 %). Among other fungal allergens eg.Alternaria tenuis (28 %), Aspergillus flavus.(26 %),Curvularia sp.(24 %),Neurospora Sp.( 22 % ), Phoma sp. (18 % ),Fusarium solani (13 % ) ,Helminthosporium sp.(12 %) and Penicillium sp. (11 %) were found as common fungal allergens. Acrothecium sp, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus tamari, Candida albicans, Cladosporium sp., Mucor sp., Nigrospora sp. and Trichoderma sp.etc were having allergenic effect in less than 10 % patients. About 12 % patients had not shown positive skin sensitivity test against any fungal allergen.