SKIN-TEST REACTIVITY TO RECOMBINANT ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS ALLERGEN I A IN PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC-FIBROSIS/

We evaluated the diagnostic value of recombinant Aspergillus fumigatus allergen I/a (rAsp f I/a) for skin testing in cystic fibrosis (CF) pa tients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), allergy to A. fumigatus and in CF controls not allergic to A. fumigatus. Skin pr ick test reactions to rAsp I/a were 8.5-fold stronger in A.-fumigatus- allergic and 3.3-fold stronger in ABPA patients compared to the CF con trols. Three out of 6 well-characterized ABPA patients had positive sk in prick test reactions to rAsp f I/a; the same number reacted to crud e A. fumigatus extracts. The skin prick test results to rAsp f I/a wer e significantly correlated with those to crude and commercial preparat ions. According to these results, rAsp f I/a represents a defined alle rgen that provides the possibility to perform skin prick tests in CF p atients in a highly standardized way. In future, a larger panel of rec ombinant allergens might also pick up those CF patients with ABPA and allergy to A. fumigatus who did not react to this single allergen.