A study of the cross antigenicity between long-used kapok and mold extracts

Abstract

This study was conducted on 452 patients (177 males and 275 females) selected from the group of patients who suffered from perennial allergic rhinitis. The subjects were skin tested by the intracutaneous method to 3 allergenic extracts: house dust, long-used kapok and a mold mix which consisted of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Hormodendrum and Penicillium in equal parts. The results showed a significant correlation between mold mix and a long-used kapok reactions but a doubtful correlation between mold mix and house dust. In addition there is a strong association between the skin reactions to long-used kapok and house dust extracts which is pertinent to the result of the authors' previous report. From comparing these three pairs of extracts in the present study, the authors conclude that both house dust and mold contamination are significant causes of the increased antigenicity of the long-used kapok.