BACKGROUNDAllergen micro-arrays are powerful tools for screening of serum IgE-reactivity. In this study allergen micro-arrays were used to identify dominating IgE-binding allergens and cross-reactivity patterns among selected Chinese allergy patients.

METHODSThe study was conducted using patient sera from the cities of Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu and Shenyang. In total 100 sera with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) specific IgE-levels higher than 50 kU/L were selected for testing against 103 individual allergens.

RESULTSAmong 100 selected patients, 95% showed IgE-reactivity towards house-dust mite allergens Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) 1, Der f 2 and Der p 2 and 94% were IgE positive against Der p 1, and 60% of sera contained IgE reacting against allergen Euroglyphus maynei (Eur m) 2. IgE against cat allergen, Felisdomesticus (Fel d) 1, was seen in 20%. Only 2% showed specific IgE-reactivity to Der p 10, a panallergen belonging to the tropomyosin family. Serum IgE-reactivity towards other allergens was in general low. IgE-reactivity against pollen allergens showed geographic differences.

CONCLUSIONSThis study clearly confirms that group 1 and group 2 are major allergens of house dust mites. These selected house-dust mite allergy patients are close to being mono-sensitized. Der p 10 is not an important allergen for cross-reactivity. Specific IgE-sensitization towards pollen allergens is low in southern China compared to other regions. The prevalence of food and stinging insect allergens known to give rise to IgE-mediated cross-reactivity is 2% or less.