Sensitization to Furry Animals in Patients with Suspected Allergic Disease in China: A Multicenter Study

PURPOSE: An objective of this study was to investigate the allergen sensitization characteristics of cat, dog and horse dander in patients with suspected allergic diseases in different geographical regions of Chinese mainland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We invited 2377 patients aged 0–86 years with suspected allergic diseases to participate in a cross-sectional survey in 11 provinces in China. Combined with the questionnaires and animal-specific IgE levels, we analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of furry animal sensitization in different regions and populations of Chinese Mainland. RESULTS: Among the 2377 patients with suspected allergic diseases, 14.9% were sensitized to cat dander, 9.3% to dog dander and 5.5% to horse dander. Animal allergens mainly cause low-level sensitization (class 1–3). There was a significant correlation between cat, dog and horse dander allergen sIgE, with correlation coefficients (r(s)) all greater than 0.750. The majority (46.5%) of sIgE-positive patients were sensitized to at least two animal allergens simultaneously. The prevalence of these animals all showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing with age, and all reached the peak in young adolescence. As for the geographical factors, the sensitization rate of cats and dogs in Western was significantly higher than that in Eastern (cat: 18.4% vs 9.2%, dog: 11.6% vs 5.5%, all P < 0.001), however, no significant differences were found in horses. Aged ≤6 years, living in Western, and high animal allergen exposure elevated the risk of cat or dog sensitization. Living on a lower floor (aOR: 0.56) was a protective factor for horse sensitization. CONCLUSION: In this representative sample of Chinese patients with suspected allergic diseases, there was an apparent geographic variation in sensitization to cats and dogs. Age factor and living in Western also had a significant impact on animal allergen sensitization rate.