Abstract

FUENTES, Yadira et al. Efficiency of two diagnostic tests in the determination of mite-allergy in children. Vaccimonitor [online]. 2008, vol.17, n.2, pp. 1-6. ISSN 1025-0298.

Allergic diseases are a worldwide health problem; mites constitute one of their main etiological agents. In Cuba, the main species are Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides siboney and Blomia tropicales. An analytical study was carried out during 2003 in 50 non-allergic children and 50 allergic ones in a pediatric hospital in the City of Havana in order to determine the efficiency of the skin prick test and the IgE determination for diagnosing allergy to these three mites. The skin prick test with three allergenic extracts (VALERGEN-DP, VALERGEN-DS and VALERGEN-BT), as well as a blood extraction, were performed to all children to determine mite-specific IgE. These tests showed positive results to D. pteronyssinus in diseased children. Meanwhile both tests were negative in the non-allergic children. The skin test showed 100% specificity, with the highest sensitivity for VALERGEN-DP (88%), the extract with the highest diagnostic efficiency (94%). IgE determination showed the best sensitivity, specificity and efficiency results for D. pteronyssinus (78, 100 y 89%, respectively). The skin prick test was the most efficient and there was significant correlation between the skin response and the IgE level for the studied mites in the sick patients. These results contribute to the improvement of allergy diagnosis and point out the need of using specific immunotherapy with hyposensitizing vaccines in mite-sensitive allergic children.

Keywords : Allergic diseases; mites; allergens extract; skin prick test; mite-specific IgE.

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