Avoidance of allergens as an environmental method in the prevention of inhaled allergy symptoms

Asthma and other inhaled allergies are some of the most common paediatric diseases. The association of exposure to allergens with induction and exacerbation of symptoms has been proven. The majority of allergens are permanently or periodically suspended in the air, which leads to impaired quality of life for sensitive patients. Therefore, many methods of prevention and therapy of allergic diseases have been developed. The method of allergen exposure avoidance is often the first and the most significant measure. The present research has been conducted to evaluate, based on scientific data, which measures have the most reliable evidence of effectiveness. Environmental allergen avoidance methods, despite limited evidence supporting their clinical efficacy, are listed as the main therapeutic approaches in most recommendations. The significance of the holistic approach is also emphasised: only simultaneous introduction of several avoidance methods can bring possibly beneficial effects for the patient

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Association between skin prick test and serum specific immunoglobulin E to American cockroach allergens in allergic rhinitis patients

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: American cockroach is a common aeroallergen sensitization in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. Association between skin prick test (SPT) and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to American cockroach allergen remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the association between SPT and sIgE to American cockroach allergen in patients with AR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Thai AR patients aged 6-25 years from September 2013 to October 2014. SPT and sIgE to American cockroach allergen were performed and the correlation was calculated using SPSS Statistics version 18. RESULTS: Sixty-seven AR patients, with median age of 15 years were included in this study. SPT and sIgE to American cockroach allergen showed a positive result in 68.7% and 58.2% cases, respectively. Positive SPT or positive sIgE to American cockroach was found in 79.1%. Thirty-two patients (47.8%) tested positive for both SPT and sIgE to American cockroach allergen. Fourteen from a total of 67 cases (20.9%) with negative sIgE had positive SPT to American cockroach, while seven cases (10.4%) with negative SPT had positive sIgE to American cockroach. Moderate correlation was observed between mean wheal diameter (MWD) and sIgE level to American cockroach (r = 0.465, p = 0.001). No significant correlation was found between MWD of SPT or sIgE level to American cockroach and AR severity. CONCLUSION: A moderate correlation was observed between MWD of SPT and sIgE level to American cockroach. If SPT is negative in allergic rhinitis patients highly suspected of having American cockroach allergy, serum sIgE should be considered and viceversa

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The level of allergens in dust samples collected from selected schools in Shiraz, Iran and its asthma-risk implications

Background: Both home and school are important places where children are exposed to various indoor allergens. This study aimed to identify the profile of indoor allergens in schools and its impact on asthma development. Methods: A total of 104 classrooms from 52 schools were selected for dust collection during the fall of 2017. The levels of indoor allergens including dust mite (Der f1, Der p1), cat (Fel d1), cockroach (Bla g1) and mouse (Mus m1) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The diagnosis of asthma was made in all students of the selected classes by the allergist. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Results: Out of 2816 students in the selected classes, 180 students were involved with asthma. Students were mostly exposed to Bla g1 (83.1%), followed by Der f1 (51.5%), Mus m 1 (45.5%), Der p1 (8.9%) and Fel d1 (7.9%) in the dust collected from 101 classrooms. Although levels of all studied allergens in the settled dust of the classrooms were low, there was a relationship between Fel d1 in the classroom dust and development of asthma. Conclusion: This study showed considerable levels of cockroach allergens in schools. Exposure to cat allergen in our schools played an important role in asthma development; further school-based investigations require evaluating the role of classroom allergen on asthma development

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Reactions to shrimp including severe anaphylaxis in mite- and cockroach-allergic patients who have never eaten shrimp: clinical significance of IgE cross-reactivity to tropomyosins from different sources

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A review on emerging frontiers of house dust mite and cockroach allergy research

Currently, mankind is afflicted with diversified health issues, allergies being a common, yet little understood malady. Allergies, the outcome of a baffled immune system encompasses myriad allergens and causes an array of health consequences, ranging from transient to recurrent and mild to fatal. Indoor allergy is a serious hypersensitivity in genetically-predisposed people, triggered by ingestion, inhalation or mere contact of allergens, of which mite and cockroaches are one of the most-represented constituents. Arduous to eliminate, these aeroallergens pose constant health challenges, mostly manifested as respiratory and dermatological inflammations, leading to further aggravations if unrestrained. Recent times have seen an unprecedented endeavour to understand the conformation of these allergens, their immune manipulative ploys and other underlying causes of pathogenesis, most importantly therapies. Yet a large section of vulnerable people is ignorant of these innocuous-looking immune irritants, prevailing around them, and continues to suffer. This review aims to expedite this field by a concise, informative account of seminal findings in the past few years, with particular emphasis on leading frontiers like genome-wide association studies (GWAS), epitope mapping, metabolomics etc. Drawbacks linked to current approaches and solutions to overcome them have been proposed

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Functional symbiosis and communication in microbial ecosystems. The case of wood-eating termites and cockroaches

Animal hosts typically have strong specificity for microbial symbionts and their functions. The symbiotic relationships have enhanced the limited metabolic networks of most eukaryotes by contributing several prokaryotic metabolic capabilities, such as methanogenesis, chemolithoautotrophy, nitrogen assimilation, etc. This review will examine the characteristics that determine bacterial «fidelity» to certain groups of animals (e.g., xylophagous insects, such as termites and cockroaches) over generations and throughout evolution. The hindgut bacteria of wood-feeding termites and cockroaches belong to several phyla, including Proteobacteria, especially Deltaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinomycetes, Spirochetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Actinobacteria, as detected by 16S rRNA. Termites effectively feed on many types of lignocelluloses assisted by their gut microbial symbionts. Although the community structures differ between the hosts (termites and cockroaches), with changes in the relative abundances of particular bacterial taxa, the composition of the bacterial community could reflect at least in part the host evolution in that the microbiota may derive from the microbiota of a common ancestor. Therefore, factors other than host phylogeny, such as diet could have had strong influence in shaping the bacterial community structure (AU)

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Succession of the gut microbiota in the cockroach Blattella germanica

The cockroach gut harbors a wide variety of microorganisms that, among other functions, collaborate in digestion and act as a barrier against pathogen colonization. Blattabacterium, a primary endosymbiont, lives in the fat body inside bacteriocytes and plays an important role in nitrogen recycling. Little is known about the mode of acquisition of gut bacteria or their ecological succession throughout the insect life cycle. Here we report on the bacterial taxa isolated from different developmental instars of the cockroach Blattella germanica. The bacterial load in the gut increased two orders of magnitude from the first to the second nymphal stage, coinciding with the incorporation of the majority of bacterial taxa, but remained similar thereafter. Pyrosequencing of the hypervariable regions V1-V3 of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the microbial composition differed significantly between adults and nymphs. Specifically, a succession was observed in which Fusobacterium accumulated with aging, while Bacteroides decreased. Blattabacterium was the only symbiont found in the ootheca, which makes the vertical transmission of gut bacteria an unlikely mode of acquisition. Scanning electron microscopy disclosed a rich bacterial biofilm in third instar nymphs, while filamentous structures were found exclusively in adults (AU)

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The taxophysiological paradox: changes in theintestinal microbiota of the xylophagouscockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus dependingon the physiological state of the host

The phylogenetic relationships of symbiotic bacteria from the xylophagous cockroach Cryptocercus (Cryptocercidae, Blattaria) were compared to those described in previous reports in lower termites. The 16S rDNA bacterial genes were PCR-amplified from DNA isolated from the entire hindgut using Bacteria-selective primers, and the 16S rDNA amplicons were cloned into Escherichia coli. The changes in the gut microbiota of Cryptocercus under three physiological conditions, «active», «fasting», and «dead», were studied. Analysis of the active-clone library revealed 45 new phylotypes (clones sharing >97% sequence identity were grouped into the same phylotype) from 54 analyzed clones. The clones were affiliated with the phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Spirochaetes, Synergistetes, Verrucomicrobia, and candidate phylum Termite Group 1 (TG1). Clones belonging to Spirochaetes, Bacteroidetes, and TG1 phyla clustered with previously reported sequences obtained from the guts of several termites, suggesting that these clones are common constituents of the intestinal microbiota of lower termites and Cryptocercus. In the fasting-clone library, 19 new phylotypes, from 49 clones studied, were distinguished. The new phylotypes were affiliated with the phyla Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Spirochaetes, Synergistetes, and the candidate phylum TM7. Finally, in the dead-clone library, 24 new phylotypes from 50 studied clones were found. The new phylotypes were affiliated with the phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Thus, from active, to fasting, to dead physiological states, a decrease in the number of phyla present in the whole microbial gut was evident. However, in the dead physiological state, each phylum conserved contained more new phylotypes. This poses a taxophysiological paradox, because a stable, active physiological state of Cryptocercus-due to a continuous input of wood-supports a higher diversity of bacterial phyla, probably necessary to maintain a sharp O(2)-H(2) gradient in the gut. By contrast, in the dead state, nutrient input is limited to the residual gut microbiota that is killed by the newly oxic environment, thus providing a food source for other, aerobic or facultative anaerobic bacteria. This results in an increase in the internal diversity of the few remaining phyla (AU)

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Physiological and biochemical analysis of L. tredecimguttatusvenom collected by electrical stimulation

The L. tredecimguttatus venom was collected by electrical stimulation and systematicallyanalyzed. Gel electrophoresis and RP-HPLC showed that the venomconsisted primarily of proteins with molecular weights above 10 kDa, most of whichwere high-molecular-mass acidic proteins, with fewer proteins and peptides below 10kDa. The most abundant proteins in the venom were concentrated at around 100kDa, which included latrotoxins- the principal toxic components of the venom.Injection of the venom in mice and cockroaches P. americana gave rise to obviouspoisoned symptoms, with LD50 values of 0.16 mg/kg and 1.87 ìg/g , respectively.Electrophysiological experiments showed that the venom could block the neuromusculartransmission in isolated mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm and rat vasdeferens preparations. The low-molecular-weight fraction (<10 kDa) of the venomhad no effect on the transmission. Enzymatic analysis indicated that the venom possessactivities of several kinds of hydrolases including hyaluronidase and proteases.These results demonstrated that L. tredecimguttatus venom was basically a large-protein-constituted venom and is one of the most poisonous spider venoms known inthe world. The mammalian toxicity of the venom was based on its larger proteinsrather than on smaller proteins and peptides, and its hydrolase activities might beinvolved in the latrodectism. The use of electrical stimulation method to collect thevenom has the advantages of avoiding contamination and repeated use of the valuableL. tredecimguttatus venom resources (AU)

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Proteinase and gelatinolytic properties of a triatoma infestans extract

An extract of Triatoma infestans has previously been demonstrated to produce specific IgG and IgE both in animals and in atopic humans with rhinitis/asthma as well as hypersensitivity pneumonitis in guinea pigs aerosolized with T. infestans. We attempted to determine whether the antigen or antigens responsible belonged to the protease group, as occurs with other allergens such as house dust mites and cockroaches. To do this, T. infestans was studied by SDS-PAGE, Western blots and gelatinolysis with and without the use of specific protease inhibitors such as E-64, TLCK, TPCK, PMSF, leupeptin, o-phenanthrolene and pepstatin-A. These assays revealed serine-like proteolytic and gelatinolytic activities. The presence of 10 to 12 bands of between 14 and 100 kDa was detected. The proteolytic activity pattern of T. infestans was greatest at pH 8.5 and gelatinolytic activity was highly sensitive to PMSF, suggesting that this enzyme could be characterized as a serine protease. Western blots revealed that two bands of 17 and 58 kDA reacted with the sera of atopic humans with respiratory diseases and anti-IgE. However, whether these bands correlated with allergenicity is unclear since the presence of several proteins in each of these bands does not rule out the possibility that this correlation could exist, especially because cross-reactions with antigens from the cockroach Periplaneta americana and its specific antiserum in animals and atopic humans have been demonstrated. The role of proteases in the etiopathogenesis of perennial rhinitis and bronchial asthma in inhabitants of the area of Argentina infested by T. infestans requires further investigation (AU)

Habiendo demostrado previamente que un extracto del Triatoma infestans (Ti) era capaz de generar anticuerpos específicos IgG e IgE tanto en los animales como en los humanos atópicos con rinitis/asma al igual que la producción de una típica neumonitis por hipersensibilidad en cobayos aerosolizados con Ti intentamos analizar si el o los antígenos responsables pertenecían al grupo de las proteasas tal como sucede con otros alergenos, como los ácaros y los blátidos. Para ello el Ti fue estudiado por medio del SDSPAGE, Western blots y gelatinolisis con y sin el empleo de inhibidores específicos de las proteasas, tales como, el E-64, el TLCK, el TPCK, el PMSF, la leupeptina, la orto-fenantrolina y la pepstatina-A. Una vez comprobada la actividad proteásica y la gelatinolítica se destacó la presencia de 10 a 12 bandas entre los 14 y 100 kDa con un patrón proteolítico con una mayor actividad a pH 8,5 y con una gelatinolisis altamente sensible al PMSF revelando su posible actividad de serina. Por los Western blots se detectó que las bandas de 17 y 58 kDa eran reactivas con los sueros humanos de atópicos respiratorios y la anti-IgE aunque no queda muy clara su alergenicidad ya que la presencia de varias proteínas en cada una de estas bandas no excluye que dicha correlación pudiera existir más aún cuando se demuestran reacciones cruzadas con antígenos de la cucaracha Periplaneta americana y sus antisueros específicos en animales y en atópicos. Su papel en la etiopatogenia de la rinitis perenne y del asma bronquial de los habitantes de la zona endémica argentina para el Ti requiere de mayores investigaciones (AU)

Asma por sensibilización a cucaracha (Blatella germanica): a propósito de dos casos en marineros / Cockroach (Blatella germanica) sensibilization asthma: two cases report in the navy

La Blatella germanica es una especie de cucaracha que, con frecuencia, infesta los buques de guerra y que puede ser perjudicial para la salud humana, produciendo, entre otras enfermedades, episodios de asma bronquial de etiologia alérgica. Describimos dos casos de asma bronquial en marineros profesionales en los que se demostró una sensibilización a Blatella germanica. Ambos pacientes referían antecedentes, previos a su ingreso en la Armada, que podrían explicar la sensibilización a cucaracha que presentaban; aunque es posible que la exposición de forma crónica, en los barcos, a alergenos de cucaracha pudiese ser el desencadenante de los episodios de asma por los que consultaron. Los dos pacientes además de estar sensibilizados a Blatella germanica tenían otras sensibilizaciones, diferentes en cada caso, que podrían estar relacionadas con la alergia a cucarachas. Uno de ellos, in vitro, también estaba sensibilizado a Ascaris y Anisakis y el otro tenia pruebas cutáneas positivas con Periplaneta americana, otra especie de cucaracha. Hallazgos que, en los dos casos, estarían justificados por una similar alergenicidad entre las proteínas de todas estas especies. La alergia a cucaracha es una patología que, pensamos; debería descartarse en todo el personal embarcado que padece asma bronquial (AU)

Retrospective evaluation of epidermal skin prick tests in patients living in Aegean region

Sensitization to aeroallergens of Aegean region is not well decumented. In this study we evaluated the epidermal skin prick test results of the patients who applied to allergy outpatient department retrospectively. Epidermal skin prick test of the 5055 patients were evaluated. Of these patients 2638 (52 %) were female, 2417 (48 %) male, 1213 (24 %) adult and 3842 (76 %) pediatric patient, 1163 (23 %) patients were allergic rhinitis, 2477 (49 %) were bronchial asthma, 505 (10 %) were allergic rhinitis with bronchial asthma, 556 (11 %) were chronic urticaria, 253 (5 %) were wheezy infant and 101 (2 %) patients were atopic dermatitis, 2932 (58 %) had atopy history in their first and second degree relatives. Patients were aged between 3.5 months and 79 years (mean 14.1 ± 3.2 years and median 11 years). In epidermal skin prick tests sensitization to house dust mites (D. farinae, D. pteroniyssinus), pollens (grass, cereals and trees), moulds, animal danders, foods (especially in early childhood) and cockroach were evaluated. Our data indicate that allergens that may be the cause of the high prevalence of allergic diseases in I(dot)zmir are probably produced by pollens and mites (AU)

La sensibilización a los aeroalergenos en la región del Egeo no está bien documentada. En este estudio evaluamos de manera retrospectiva los resultados de las pruebas cutáneas (prick test) de los pacientes que acudieron al departamento de alergia del ambulatorio. Se examinaron las pruebas cutáneas de 5.055 pacientes. De estos pacientes, 2.638 (52 por ciento) eran mujeres, 2.417 (48 por ciento) varones, 1.213 (24 por ciento) adultos y 3.842 (76 por ciento) niños; 1.163 (23 por ciento) pacientes presentaban rinitis alérgica, 2.477 (49 por ciento) asma bronquial, 505 (10 por ciento) rinitis alérgica con asma bronquial y 556 (11 por ciento) urticaria crónica; 253 (5 por ciento) eran lactantes con sibilancias y 101 (2 por ciento) pacientes con dermatitis atópica; y 2.932 (58 por ciento) tenían antecedentes de atopia en sus parientes de primer y segundo grado. Los pacientes tenían entre 3,5 meses y 79 años de edad (media 14,1 ñ 3,2 años y mediana 11 años). En las pruebas cutáneas se evaluó la sensibilización a los ácaros del polvo doméstico (D. farinae, D. pteroniyssinus), pólenes (gramíneas, cereales y árboles), mohos, caspas de animales, alimentos (especialmente en la primera infancia) y cucarachas. Nuestros datos indican que los alergenos que pueden ser la causa de la gran prevalencia de enfermedades alérgicas en Izmir están probablemente producidos por pólenes y ácaros (AU)

Intervención en un caso de fobia a las cucarachas desde una perspectiva cognitivo-conductual / Intervention in a cockroaches phobia case from a cognitive-bahavioural perspective

La fobia simple o específica es un cuadro bastante común en la población general. Sin embargo, este grupo de pacientes solicitan ayuda terapéutica de forma más infrecuente que en el caso de otros trastornos de ansiedad, se estima que lo hace sólo el 17 por ciento del total de personas con trastornos fóbicos. Las fobias a los animales constituyen, sin duda, el sector más extenso de las fobias específicas. La edad de aparición de este trastorno se sitúa en la etapa infantil, al igual que ocurre con la fobia a las tormentas o a la oscuridad, aunque pueden mantenerse a lo largo de toda la vida. Hoy se opta por la combinación de técnicas de carácter cognitivo y conductual para el tratamiento de este tipo de trastornos, siendo la exposición la técnica que ha mostrado mayor eficacia, favoreciéndose el afrontamiento del paciente al estímulo fóbico si se acompaña de técnicas de corte cognitivo. Se presenta el proceso de evaluación e intervención llevado a cabo en el caso de una mujer con fobia a las cucarachas. En este trabajo se muestra el programa de intervención cognitivo-conductual llevado a cabo a partir del análisis funcional del caso y los objetivos terapéuticos planteados. Así mismo, se presentan los resultados obtenidos tras la terapia, donde aparece una clara disminución de los niveles de ansiedad de la paciente y una reducción en las conductas de evitación al objeto fóbico: las cucarachas (AU)

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Reactividad emocional en una fobia especifica: diferencias y patrones de concordancia en el triple sistema de respuestas en función del género / Emotional reactivity in specifrc phobia: Gender differences and the three system of response patterns of concordante

En este trabajo presentamos un estudio de patrones de concordancia en función del género de las distintas respuestas implicadas en la reactividad emocional a una fobia específica a los animales, concretamente, fobia a las cucarachas. Aplicamos un procedimiento de exposición con distintos grados de cercanía al estímulo fóbico a una muestra de 39 mujeres y 24 varones fóbicos. Tras una fase de línea base y otra de anticipación se presentaron dos de exposición intercaladas por una fase de descanso y una última de recuperación, midiendo los efectos emocionales en distintas respuestas subjetivas, conductuales y fisiológicas. Los resultados indican que las mujeres no son globalmente más reactivas que los hombres, aunque mostraron algunas diferencias específicas de mayor reactividad a nivel conductual y subjetivo. Los análisis de correlaciones y chi-cuadrado apoyan la teoría de supresión de respuestas en los varones, ya que se encuentra una relación inversa entre las respuestas que pueden ser controladas voluntariamente (subjetivas y conductuales) y las involuntarias (fisiológicas) (AU)