Clinical and immunologic aspects of storage mite allergy

Exposure to storage (nonpyroglyphid) mites has been increasingly recognized as a cause of asthma and rhinitis. Several species have been identified in Europe; e.g., Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus farris/siro, Tyrophagus spp ., Glycyphagus domesticus, and Blomia tjibodas. Blomia tropicalis, on the o ther hand, predominates in subtropical and tropical areas. Studies from sev eral countries have shown that IgE-mediated allergy in rural populations is of considerable importance and that storage miles are major allergens. Sin ce these mites are found in homes, especially in regions with damp housing conditions, urban populations are at risk of becoming sensitized. Therefore , sensitization is not restricted only to those with occupational exposure. Several major allergens from storage mites have been identified and charac terized. There seems to be a limited allergenic cross-reactivity between st orage- and house dust mites. Molecular cloning has demonstrated that the Gr oup 2 allergens from storage mites (Lep d 2 and Tyr p 2) show mole than 40% sequence identity with the Group 2 allergens from Dermatophagoides spp. Th e availability of a large number of recombinant dust mite allergens will ma ke it possible to investigate their homology and the number of allergens re quired for the diagnosis and treatment of storage mite allergy.