Mites Whose Time Has Come: Sensitization to Blomia Tropicalis, and Other Mites in Allergic Patients in Israel

Abstract

RATIONALE: House dust mites are important causes of persistent allergic diseases, such as asthma and rhinitis. Various types of mites are found in the house dust of many countries, including Israel, but the prevalence of sensitization to these mites in Israel has not been evaluated. METHODS: Sensitization of 117 patients with persistent rhinitis or asthma who attended the Allergy and Asthma Center in Tel Aviv (Israel) was evaluated by a skin prick test (SPT) using standardized allergenic extracts. The tested mites were: Dermatophagoides farinae (DF), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP), Lepidoglyphus destructor (LD), Blomia tropicalis (BT), Tyrophagus putrescentiae (TP), Acarus siro (AS), Glycyphagus domesticus (GD), Blomia kulagini (BK), and Tetranychus urticae (TU). RESULTS: Most patients (n=95, 81%) had a positive SPT to at least one mite extract. The three most frequent positive reactions were to DF (78%), DP (75%) and unexpectedly, BT (77%). The correlation between DF and DP sensitization was higher than the correlation between DF or DP to BT (r=0.78 vs. r=0.60, p<0.05). Fifteen patients (12.8%) had positive skin reactions to at least one other mite species(none DF, DP or BT), mainly to LP (3.1%) and BK (4.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study identified the most ubiquitous mites to which Israeli patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma are sensitized and indicated the importance of BT as an allergen. Extracts of these mites may be needed for a more accurate diagnosis and effective treatment (e.g. immunotherapy) of respiratory diseases due to mite allergy in Israel and probably in similar countries.