IN-VITRO COMPARISON OF ALLERGENIC POTENCY OF SKIN-TEST EXTRACTS FROM DIFFERENT SUPPLIERS IN THE VETERINARY MEDICAL FIELD

Allergen content and composition of solutions designed for intradermal skin tests in veterinary diagnostics were compared with standardized solutions for human application. The allergenic potency of a solution was evaluated in vitro from inhibition of the enzyme-allergo-sorbent-t est of human sera specific for the appropriate allergen. Extracts of h ouse dust mite, dust mite, timothy grass and birch from four suppliers for veterinary purpose were tested. The solutions from one veterinary supplier revealed allergenic potencies similar to the solutions for h uman skin tests, while the extracts from the other three suppliers wer e found to have a much lesser allergenic potency due to a minor allerg en content or different composition. These findings elucidate poorly c orrelating and inconsistent results from intrademal skin tests in dogs with approriate allergen solutions from different suppliers.