THE ROLE OF MITE, HOUSE DUST AND CANDIDA ALLERGENS IN CHRONIC URTICARIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Intradermal skin tests and in vitro antigen‐induced histamine release from leucocytes were carried out using mite, house dust and candida allergens in 49 patients with chronic urticaria in whom the cause was not identifiable from the history. None of them had other atopic diseases. Among the 49 cases, the number of patients who gave positive skin reactions to different allergens was as follows: mite, 24; house dust, 18; candida, 17. Significant histamine release from leucocytes by mite antigen was observed in 8 out of 12 patients who had 2+ or 3+ skin reactions. The present results suggest that mite, house dust and candida allergens may play a role in chronic urticaria, and especially that the mite may be one of the possible allergens in chronic urticaria.