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Background: Mites are the main cause of atopy and allergies in the Tropical region. It is necessary to know the phylogenetic relationship of their allergenic proteins in order to determine the best combination of extracts for its use at the clinic. Objective: To assess the phylogenetic relationship between the main allergenic proteins of mites. Methods: Groups 1, 2 and 5 of Glyciphagidae, Pyroglyphidae, Chortoglyphidae and Acaridae families were compared according to the sequence of mRNA and amino acids with the validated sequences of the National Center for Biotechnology Information and through bioinformatic alignment analyses for the construction of the trees, the method of neighbor-joining, with bootstrap support with 500 replications, was used as a measure of reliability and robustness. Results: 15% to 87% of identity was found in the three groups of allergens; the highest was between Der p2 and Der f2 (86.98%) and, the lowest, between Der f 5 and Gly d 5 (17.87%) Piroglyphidae showed the highest relationship between the species. The longest branching distance was identified in Glicyphagidae, especially in Blomia tropicalis. Conclusion: Some allergenic proteins have a high identity between the different species of mites, unlike Blomia tropicalis. These results can be taken into consideration when the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases is being defined.

Background: In Latin America there are few data about the factors that influence the control and severity of asthma. Objective: To describe the association between IgE sensitization to intra-home allergens and housing conditions in the severity of asthma. Methods: Sensitization to aero-allergens was evaluated by skin prick test and socio-demographic data by a questionnaire in a population between 6 and 14 years of age with diagnosis of asthma. Asthma control was measured according to spirometric results and to the application of the ACT (Asthma Control Test); the severity and symptom control was evaluated according to the GINA guideline. Results: A total of 150 resident patients from the Aburra Valley (Colombia) were included. The median age of participants was 11 years, 95 (63.3 %) male. 92 % of the patients resided in the urban area. Mite sensitization was the most prevalent in controlled and uncontrolled patients. Sensitization to cockroach and some poverty conditions were risk factors for asthma severity. Conclusion: Poverty conditions appear to favor the development of severe asthma and in turn IgE sensitization to cockroaches. This sensitization could serve as a biomarker of severity.

Background: Mites are the main cause of atopy and allergies in the Tropical region. It is necessary to know the phylogenetic relationship of their allergenic proteins in order to determine the best combination of extracts for its use at the clinic. Objective: To assess the phylogenetic relationship between the main allergenic proteins of mites. Methods: Groups 1, 2 and 5 of Glyciphagidae, Pyroglyphidae, Chortoglyphidae and Acaridae families were compared according to the sequence of mRNA and amino acids with the validated sequences of the National Center for Biotechnology Information and through bioinformatic alignment analyses for the construction of the trees, the method of neighbor-joining, with bootstrap support with 500 replications, was used as a measure of reliability and robustness. Results: 15% to 87% of identity was found in the three groups of allergens; the highest was between Der p2 and Der f2 (86.98%) and, the lowest, between Der f 5 and Gly d 5 (17.87%) Piroglyphidae showed the highest relationship between the species. The longest branching distance was identified in Glicyphagidae, especially in Blomia tropicalis. Conclusion: Some allergenic proteins have a high identity between the different species of mites, unlike Blomia tropicalis. These results can be taken into consideration when the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases is being defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunotherapy has proven to be effective in controlling allergic asthma. However, few studies have evaluated whether the control and reduction of drug treatment persist after treatment ends. Objective: To evaluate the effect of immunotherapy with mites in asthma patients after two years of its suspension on drug treatment and number of exacerbations. Material and method: Observational study ambispective with active group (immunotherapy and pharmacotherapy) and control (only pharmacotherapy) group followed up for 5 years divided into two phases: 3 years of application of immunotherapy and two year of follow-up after its suspension. Results: 122 patients in the active group and 384 in the control group were included. Both groups had fewer exacerbations after the sixth month (p = 0.04). After nine months the active group had a significant reduction in the use of inhaled steroids (p = 0.05) compared to the control group. Two years after finished immunotherapy, patients in the active group received a lower inhaler doses than the control group. Children under 14 years mono-sensitized had the best response in all parameters evaluated. Conclusion: The allergen immunotherapy improves asthma control and reduces the required doses of pharmacotherapy. These effects have an important impact on quality of life and perhaps economically for patients with asthma. The beginning at an early age seems to have a major impact.

Background: Sensitization to mites and cockroach are a common cause of respiratory allergy, especially in children. There is little information about its cross-reactivity with shrimp, which is common in adult patients. Objectives: To determine the frequency of sensitization to house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae) and cockroach species Periplaneta americana, in adult patients attending to a third level hospital and to determine the frequency of sensitization to shrimp in patients with positive skin test to house dust mite and/or cockroach, in patients with clinical manifestations suggestive of allergy to shrimp. Material and method: A retrospective study was done in which results were reviewed of 672 patients clinical records, attending to the Al- lergy and Clinical Immunology department in a third level hospital, those patients with positive skin test results to Dermatophagoides and/ or Periplaneta americana were investigated for sensitization to shrimp through Prick-to-Prick test. Results: Data from 672 patients were obtained, 69.8% (469) males, with a mean age of 33.5 years. Dermatophagoides positivity was 72.2% (486/672), and its relationship with other invertebrates that also have tropomyosin was 5.6% (4.9% with cockroach and 0.74% with shrimp). Conclusions: In our population, house dust mite sensitization was similar to that reported in the international literature. There was low positivity to cockroach, probably due to geographical conditions. There is very little information about shrimp’s cross-reactivity with Dermatophagoides, despite its clinical signi cance, which requires more speci c studies such as measurement of speci c IgE to tropomyosin.

Background: In Latin America there are few data about the factors that influence the control and severity of asthma. Objective: To describe the association between IgE sensitization to intra-home allergens and housing conditions in the severity of asthma. Methods: Sensitization to aero-allergens was evaluated by skin prick test and socio-demographic data by a questionnaire in a population between 6 and 14 years of age with diagnosis of asthma. Asthma control was measured according to spirometric results and to the application of the ACT (Asthma Control Test); the severity and symptom control was evaluated according to the GINA guideline. Results: A total of 150 resident patients from the Aburra Valley (Colombia) were included. The median age of participants was 11 years, 95 (63.3 %) male. 92 % of the patients resided in the urban area. Mite sensitization was the most prevalent in controlled and uncontrolled patients. Sensitization to cockroach and some poverty conditions were risk factors for asthma severity. Conclusion: Poverty conditions appear to favor the development of severe asthma and in turn IgE sensitization to cockroaches. This sensitization could serve as a biomarker of severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy has proven to be effective in controlling allergic asthma. However, few studies have evaluated whether the control and reduction of drug treatment persist after treatment ends. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of immunotherapy with mites in asthma patients after two years of its suspension on drug treatment and number of exacerbations. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Observational study ambispective with active group (immunotherapy and pharmacotherapy) and control (only pharmacotherapy) group followed up for 5 years divided into two phases: 3 years of application of immunotherapy and two year of follow-up after its suspension. RESULTS: 122 patients in the active group and 384 in the control group were included. Both groups had fewer exacerbations after the sixth month (p = 0.04). After nine months the active group had a significant reduction in the use of inhaled steroids (p = 0.05) compared to the control group. Two years after finished immunotherapy, patients in the active group received a lower inhaler doses than the control group. Children under 14 years mono-sensitized had the best response in all parameters evaluated. CONCLUSION: The allergen immunotherapy improves asthma control and reduces the required doses of pharmacotherapy. These effects have an important impact on quality of life and perhaps economically for patients with asthma. The beginning at an early age seems to have a major impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensitization to mites and cockroach are a common cause of respiratory allergy, especially in children. There is little information about its cross-reactivity with shrimp, which is common in adult patients. Objectives: To determine the frequency of sensitization to house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae) and cockroach species Periplaneta americana, in adult patients attending to a third level hospital and to determine the frequency of sensitization to shrimp in patients with positive skin test to house dust mite and/or cockroach, in patients with clinical manifestations suggestive of allergy to shrimp. Material and method: A retrospective study was done in which results were reviewed of 672 patients clinical records, attending to the Allergy and Clinical Immunology department in a third level hospital, those patients with positive skin test results to Dermatophagoides and/ or Periplaneta americana were investigated for sensitization to shrimp through Prick-to-Prick test. Results: Data from 672 patients were obtained, 69.8% (469) males, with a mean age of 33.5 years. Dermatophagoides positivity was 72.2% (486/672), and its relationship with other invertebrates that also have tropomyosin was 5.6% (4.9% with cockroach and 0.74% with shrimp). Conclusions: In our population, house dust mite sensitization was similar to that reported in the international literature. There was low positivity to cockroach, probably due to geographical conditions. There is very little information about shrimp's cross-reactivity with Dermatophagoides, despite its clinical significance, which requires more specific studies such as measurement of specific IgE to tropomyosin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

background: House dust mites are important airborne allergens worldwide, particularly in the tropical environment. Objective: To assess sensitization of allergic patients to different mite species in the Cuban city of Camaguey; as well as to compare standardized allergen extracts from different sources by skin prick tests. Patients and method: Skin prick tests were performed in 60 patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis and in 60 non-allergic volunteers, ranging from 2 to 76 years old. In both groups, Diater-Prick lancets were used, together with Valergen extracts (Biocen, Cuba) at 20,000 BU/mL and Diater extracts (Argentina) at 50,000 UBE/PNU/mL. Results: The highest values of sensitization prevalence using Diater extracts were seen in Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), Dermatophagoides farinae (Df), and Blomia tropicalis (Bt) in allergic patients and in non-allergic controls. Diagnostic sensitivity values were: Dp, 79; Df, 84; Bt, 84 and B. kulagini, 83%. Specificity varied from 72 to 85%. On the other hand, with Biocen extracts, the highest positivity was noted in Dp and D. siboney (Ds). Sensitivity values were 78% (Dp); 78% (Ds) and 82% (BT). Specificity values ranged from 79 to 82%. Conclusions: The standardized allergen extracts from the assessed laboratories induced similar values of sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic diseases represent an international public health problem, in particular asthma in infantile population, the reports of allergic incidence in general population show a not uniform significant statistical increase. Objective: To determine the frequency of domestic dust mite sensitization and its relation with atopic diseases in our environment. Material and method: In an analytical transversal study the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire was applied to 100 students from 6 to 7 years old in a primary school of San Antonio de los Baños Community in La Habana, Cuba between September 2006 and March 2007. Results: The prevalence of allergic disease in this study corresponded to asthma in 27%, allergic rhinitis in 40% and 26% to atopic dermatitis. The 50% of the allergic infantile population presented a mite positive dermatological scarification tests. The major positivity to the dermatological test was to Blomia tropicalis in 52%. There was a significant statistically association between cutaneous mite reactivity and the presence of atopic diseases. Inside this group, patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis had a similar cutaneous response. Conclusions: Fifty percent of the studied population had a mite sensitization, mainly to Blomia tropicalis, showing a significant statistical association with the presence of atopic diseases, an important health problem in the studied area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La morbilidad de las enfermedades alérgicas mediadas por el anticuerpo IgE, se ha incrementado en los últimos 40 años, y además, se han identificado a los ácaros domésticos como sus principales agentes causales. En Cuba, los ácaros más frecuentemente son: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus), Dermatophagoides siboney (D. siboney) y Blomia tropicalis (B. tropicalis). En este estudio investigamos si la sensibilización a estos ácaros constituye un problema de salud en nuestra población infantil, y su relación con la exposición al polvo doméstico. Se seleccionaron 103 niños alérgicos del pueblo de Guatao, que se clasificaron según su grado de exposición al polvo doméstico. A todos se les realizó la prueba por punción cutánea por duplicado en ambos antebrazos y se utilizaron los extractos alergénicos estandarizados VALERGEN-BT Ò (Blomia tropicalis), VALERGEN-DS Ò (Dermatophagoides siboney) y VALERGEN-DP Ò (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus), todos de producción nacional en el Centro Nacional de Biopreparados. La sensibilización fue mayor de forma significativa (pMorbidity of allergic diseases mediated by the IgE antibody has increased in the last 40 years and the house mites have been identified as their main causal agents. In Cuba, the most common mites are Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus), Dermatophagoides siboney (D. siboney) and Blomia tropicalis (B. tropicalis). In this study, it was investigated if the sensitization to these mites is a health problem in our infantile population and its connection with the exposure to house dust. 103 allergic children from the Guatao town were selected. All of them underwent the skin puncture test in both forearms and the VALERGEN-BT Ò (Blomia tropicalis), VALERGEN-DS Ò (Dermatophagoides siboney) and VALERGEN-DP Ò (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) standardized allergenic extracts, which were produced in our country by the National Centre of Biopreparations, were used. The sensitization was significantly higher (p

Se realizó un estudio con el objetivo de investigar si la sensibilización a estos ácaros ( Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus [ Dp ], Dermatophagoides siboney [ Ds ] y Blomia tropicalis [ Bt ] ) constituye un problema de salud en nuestra población infantil, pues el estudio de los problemas alérgicos ha identificado a los ácaros domésticos como los principales agentes causales de asma y otras afecciones. Se seleccionaron 32 niños alérgicos de nuestro consultorio que se clasificaron según su grado de exposición al polvo doméstico. A todos se les realizó la prueba por punción cutánea en el brazo derecho, y se utilizaron 3 extractos alergénicos estandarizados Valergen Ò ( Blomia tropicalis, Dermatophagoides siboney y Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ) de producción nacional (BIOCEN). La prevalencia de la sensibilización fue mayor de forma significativa (pA study was conducted aimed at investigating if the sensitization to these dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus [Dp], Dermatophagoides siboney [Ds] and Blomia tropicalis [Bt] ) is a health problem in our infantile population, since the study of the allergic problems has identified the house dust mites as the main agents causing asthma and other affections. 32 allergic children of our office were selected and classified according to their degree of exposure to house dust. All of them underwent the skin test in the right arm. 3 standardized allergenic extracts ValergenÒ (Blomia tropicalis, Dermatophagoides siboney y Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) of national production (BIOCEN) were used. The prevalence of sensitization was significantly higher (p