Incidence of cockroach allergy in atopic Italian children

Background: Recent studies suggest that sensitization to cockroach allergen s is common in urban areas and highlight the importance of cockroach allerg ens as a risk factor for asthma. Objective: To elucidate the prevalence of cockroach allergy in atopic Itali an children and to evaluate the correlation between cockroach allergens and other major indoor allergens. Methods: Four hundred eighty two children with at least one positive skin t est response to a common allergen and with personal history of atopic disea ses, were investigated. A questionnaire was administered in order to obtain data on epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of the population. Skin tests to 24 common allergens (including extracts of two cockroach species) were carried out and serum total and cockroach specific ISE were evaluated . Results: 61/482 (12.7%) children had positive skin test to cockroach extrac ts. Among them the frequency of children living in urban areas was higher ( P <.05), In addition, a significant correlation between results of skin tes ts to cockroach and mite allergens was observed (P <.009), No correlation b etween cockroach allergy and the clinical characteristics of the study popu lation was found. Conclusions: The results show that cockroach allergy affects a small portio n of atopic Italian children and suggest that it is related with living in urban areas and with sensitization to other indoor allergens, such as dust mite.