SENSITIZATION TO ALTERNARIA AND CLADOSPORIUM BY THE AGE OF 4 YEARS

Of 1218 children born on the Isle of Wight in 1989/90, and followed fo r atopy at age 4 years, 981 were skin-prick tested with a battery of a llergens. Of these 61 (6%) reacted positively to Alternaria alternata and Cladosporium herbarum (47 to Alternaria, 21 to Cladosporium and se ven to both). Twenty-four (39%) were asymptomatic (latent atopy) of wh ich 12 had a single positive reaction either to Alternaria or Cladospo rium. Asthma was the most common disease in children sensitized to mou lds. Alternaria sensitization correlated positively with clinical diag nosis of asthma (P < 0.01), eczema (P < 0.001) and rhinitis (P < 0.05) . Likewise, Cladosporium sensitivity correlated with a diagnoses of as thma, eczema and rhinitis (all P < 0.05). Age of the house correlated with reported damp and lack of central heating (both P<0.001), but not with sensitization to moulds. An association between the presence of damp or age of the house and mould allergy was confounded by 21 childr en moving house in the first 4 years. Exposure to pets, passive tobacc o smoking and season of birth had no bearing on mould sensitivity. At 4 years of age Alternaria and Cladosporium were the third most common causes of sensitization, i.e. after house dust mite and grass pollen.