Evaluation of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) and D. farinae Hughes (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) sensitivity in patients with allergic rhinitis: A comparative study

This study was conducted to determine the sensitivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) and D. farinae Hughes with skin prick tests (SPT) and serologic tests in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), and to specifically search for those mites in homes of patients. A total of 51 participants, (23 patients and 28 controls) were utilized. Skin-prick tests with D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae allergens were performed on all participants, and serum levels of allergen-specific lgE and total IgE were also measured. Dust samples were collected from homes of all participants and examined under a stereo microscope. 977 D. pteronyssinus (mean 44.4/g) and 24 D. farinae (mean 4.0/g) were isolated from the homes of patients, whereas 35 D. pteronyssinus (mean 4.4/g), and four D. farinae (mean 2.0/g) were isolated from the homes of the controls. Patients with D. pteronyssinus in their homes had 95.5% sensitivity to the species according to SPT and 27.3 according to IgE. Patients with D. farinae in their homes had 83.3% sensitivity to the species according to SPT, and 50% according to IgE. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus sensitivity in the controls was detected as 12.5% according to SPT; however, D. farinae sensitivity was not detected according to both SPT and mite-specific IgE. Differences between patients and controls utilizing SPT results was statistically significant, but not when using mite-specific IgE results. As a result, it was determined that patients with AR in Erzincan province were sensitized to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae, and that their homes contained those species. It may be helpful to consider these findings in clinical assessment of patients with AR, and also in treatment utilizing immunotherapy techniques. © Systematic & Applied Acarology Society.