AN INVESTIGATION OF AEROALLERGENS AFFECTING URBAN MALAYSIAN ASTHMATICS

We investigated the aeroallergens affecting 200 asthmatics from the Un iversity Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and found 164 (82%) patien ts with skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to one or more of a panel of 14 allergens, which included indoor and outdoor animal and plant aeroa llergens. Reactivity was most frequent to the indoor airborne allergen s, with 159 (79.5%) reacting to either or both house dust mite (Dermat ophagoides) species and 87 (43.5%) to cockroach. The SPT reactivity to house dust mites corresponded with the finding that patients found ho use dust to be the main precipitant of asthmatic attacks.