ASSOCIATION OF SENSITIZATION TO ALTERNARIA ALLERGENS WITH ASTHMA AMONG SCHOOL-AGE-CHILDREN

Background: Molds in the Alternaria genus, normally found on outdoor v egetation, produce some of the most common fungal allergens to elicit a skin test response. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate a serum assay for IgE antibodies to Alternaria allergens and to establish the prevalence of sensitization to Alternaria allergens among children and adults enrolled in epidemiologic studies of asthma. In addition, the significance of sensitization to Alternaria allergen s as a risk factor for asthma was compared with that of sensitization to indoor allergens or pollens. Methods: Using the Pharmacia Capsulate d Hydrophobic Carrier Polymer (CAP) system, we have evaluated the sign ificance of Alternaria allergens by using sera from several epidemiolo gic studies of asthma, Results: Comparisons between serum assays and s kin test results suggest that this in vitro assay yields results simil ar to those for traditional RASTs and is as sensitive as skin prick te sting. In each of the groups studied, sensitization to Alternaria alle rgens was more common among asthmatic than control subjects, and in tw o studies the relationship was highly significant. Alternaria allergen s were significantly associated with asthma in middle schools in Charl ottesville, Virginia and Los Alamos, New Mexico hut not in Albemarle C ounty, Virginia. Logistic regression analysis of the results for the t hree schools identified an association between sensitization to Altern aria allergens and asthma independent of, but not as strong as, that f ound between sensitization to indoor allergens and asthma (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The Pharmacia CAP system is a useful tool for measuring specific IgE to Alternaria allergens. Although not as important as sen sitization to dominant local indoor allergens, sensitization to Altern aria allergens appears to be a significant independent risk factor for asthma in children in some locations of the United States.