212 Allergic Sensitization to Domestic Mites in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of mites sensitization in Santo Domingo. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients (52 males and 48 females, mean age 30.3 years; 4–68) with asthma and /or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis were skin tested with 9 commercial extracts of mites of the following species: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae, Blomia tropicalis, B. kulagini, Acarus siro, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Glycyphagus domesticus and Chortoglyphus arcuatus. A skin test was considered positive when the wheal was > 3 mm with erythema. Conventional exclusion criteria were used, in order to avoid masking a skin reaction. RESULTS: A positive skin test to any of the mites tested was detected in 98% of the patients; Dermatophagoides spp. was positive in 89% of the patients; 15% were exclusively positive to Dermatophagoides spp; 87% reacted to Blomia spp. and 3% were exclusively positive to Blomia tropicalis spp; 80% were sensitized to 3 or more specie. CONCLUSIONS: The allergy sensitization to domestic mites in Santo Domingo is high. Sensitization to several species is very common. B. tropicalis is an important species in this region. With these results we could extrapolate that immunotherapy with only Dermatophagoides species could not be enough achieve clinical improvement in mite allergic patients. Other species, such as B. tropicalis may be needed.