TYPE-I HYPERSENSITIVITY TO GRAMINEAE POLL EN (BY TRIBE) IN ALLERGIC CONJUNTIVITIS PATIENTS

A total of 84 Costa Rican patients with a clinical diagnosis of Allerg ic Conjuntivitis (with or without other allergic diagnosis) and 100 no n atopic subjects were studied by prick tests for all of Poaceae Tribe s present in Costa Rica. Positivity was recorded in 70% of the Allergi c Conjuntivitis patients for at least one of the tribes (against 2% of controls). An increase in the number of analysed tribes correlated wi th a higher number of patients allergic to graminean pollens. Guanacas te Province had the highest positivity, and patients aged 11 to 20 yea rs were the most sensitive. Aveneae had the highest positivity except in Alajuela Province, in which Paniceae was highest in positivity. Poa ceae pollens are very important in allergic hipersensitivity among All ergic Conjuntivitis patients. Prick tests for all the tribes present i n the country are requiered to fully detect positivity to this family.