TYPE-I HYPERSENSITIVITY TO GRAMINEAE POLL EN (BY TRIBE) IN BRONCHIAL-ASTHMA PATIENTS

A total of 260 Costa Rican patients (106 males) with clinical diagnosi s of Bronchial Asthma and 100 non atopic subjects were studied with sk in prick tests for all Poaceae tribes. Allergic Type I Hypersensitivit y to these pollens among the Bronchial Asthma patients reached 51.2% p ositivity to at least one tribe (2% in controls). The positivity to ea ch tribe was lower than positivity to at least one tribe. Up to 25.4% of positive patients could missed by not testing for all tribes presen t in the country. The pollen of the Oryzeae tribe (rice) showed the hi ghest positivity among the Bronchial Asthma patients of Guanacaste Pro vince. This province produces most of the country's grains. Type I All ergic Hypersensitivity to Poaceae Family pollens in Bronchial Asthma p atients in Costa Rica was higher than expected.