Short communication, Note

Sensitization to Storage Mites in Urban Working Environment

Jelena Macan
Božica Kanceljak-Macan
Eugenija Žuškin
Sanja Milković-Kraus

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of a medical history questionnaire, skin prick test (SPT) and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to storage mites Lepidoglyphus destructor (LD) and Tyrophagus putresentiae (TP) performed on 26 male paper mill workers and 36 postmen. SPT was performed with Epipharm-ALK allergens. Positive (PT+) were considered urticas with the mean diameter (D+d/2) of 3 mm or over. ImmunoCAP technology (Pharmacia AB Diagnostics) was applied in measuring sIgE. Increased (sIgE+) were considered values of over 0.35 kU/I.
Paper mill workers manifested a significantly higher frequency of positive test results (sIgE+ and PT+) to LD and TP than did the postmen (38.5% vs. 8.3%, P<0.005 for LD, and 50% vs. 16.6%, P<0.005 for TP, respectively). Paper mill workers with sIgE+ manifested significantly greater mean skin reactivity (D+d/2) to TP than to LD (6.31±2.31 mm vs. 3.11±1.53 mm, P<0.001, respectively), while the postmen did not manifest such difference. Respiratory symptoms were found in 40% of paper mill workers with PT+ and sIgE+ to LD, and in 53.8% with PT+ and sIgE+ to TP. All postmen with PT+ and sIgE+ to LD and 83.3% with PT+ and sIgE+ to TP had respiratory symptoms.
The study results indicate that it is necessary to monitor sensitization to mites and to establish methods for identification and quantification of mites in the working and general environment.

Keywords

allergy; sensitization; skin prick test; specific lgE; storage mites; urban working environment

Hrčak ID:

3319

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/3319

Publication date:

7.10.1998.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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