Tab. 3.
Examples of public health and storage pests that are indoor allergen sources (modified from [3])
| Allergen source | Distribution | Allergen | Symptoms and prevalence of sensitization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed bug (Cimex lectularius) | Worldwide | 32 kDa-Protein cNP (Cimex-lectularius-Nitrophorin) |
At times, immediate-type reactions; 57% of patients with bed bug bites had specific IgE against C.-lectularius -extracts, 30% specific IgE against cNP |
| Book louse (Liposcelis bostrichophila) | Damp homes, libraries, cellars; tatami mat infestation in Japan | Lip b 1 a (26 kDa; function unknown) | Respiratory symptoms; 22% of 185 Japanese individuals with allergic asthma had booklouse-specific IgE |
| Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) | Favours plant material, grain products | Plo i 1a (arginine kinase; 40 kDa) Plo i 2a (thioredoxine) | Respiratory symptoms; 51% sensitization rate in 100 allergy patients with symptoms indoors |
| Flea/cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) | Worldwide | Cte f 1a (18 kDa from the saliva of the cat flea) Cte f 2a, Cte f 3a | Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), most frequent dermatological disease in cats and dogs; immediate and late-phase reactions |
| Common house spider (Tegenaria domestica) | Prevalent in homes | Teg do 7b
Teg do Hemocyaninb |
Respiratory symptoms; no systematic studies; isolated case |
| Cellar spider (Holocnemus plucei) | Cellars/homes | Arginine kinase (17 kDa) | Respiratory symptoms; only an isolated case |
| Head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) | Worldwide; however, regional differences in head lice infestation | 20-kDa-Protein Ped h 7b (Tropomyosin) | Itching, bilateral nasal obstruction, runny nose, respiratory symptoms; no systematic studies; isolated case |
| Cockroaches (Blattodea)
German cockroach (Blattella germanica) American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) |
Primarily the tropics and subtropics | Bla g 1 bis Bla g 8; Bla g 11 (21–78,9 kDa) Per a 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 (17–72 kDa) | In the US: risk factor for increased asthma morbidity („inner-city asthma problem“); allergic immediate-type reactions, e.g. rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic asthma, e.g.: 36.8% of 476 asthmatic children in the US had cockroach sensitization |
| Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) | In human dwellings | Lep s 1a (Tropomyosin) | Respiratory symptoms; 30% of Dutch house dust mite allergy sufferers investigated had a specific reaction to silverfish |
| Housefly/common housefly (Musca domestica) | Incidence generally associated with humans | Mus do 7b (Tropomyosin) | Respiratory symptoms; several isolated cases |
| Pigeon tick (Argas reflexus) | Central and southern Europe (together with domestic pigeon) | Arg r 1a 18–19 kDa, im Immunoblot 22 kDa | From local inflammation after bite to anaphylactic systemic reactions; specific IgE: 8% of 148 with Argas bites; positive skin test: 16% of 148 with Argas bites |
a These allergens are officially listed in the IUIS allergen database (www.allergen.org); ; b information can be found at www.allergome.org.