[Specific IgE response to Blomia tropicalis mites in Cuban patients]

We performed a prospective crosswise analytical study of 84 patients treated in the Allergy Service of "Calixto García" General Hospital whose skin tests to allergenic Blomia tropicalis extract were positive. These patients' sera were used in assays for determining specific IgE antibodies and in the identification of allergen proteins in this extract by means of western blotting. Forty-four patients (55%) showed specific IgE levels higher than 0.1 U and 17 patients exhibited levels over 0.3 U. Bronchial asthma and rhinitis were the pathologies with elevated specific IgE levels. However, generally speaking, the specific IgE values were lower than those reported in other mites in spite of the fact that skin reactivity behaved the same. It was determined that specific IgE antibodies are mainly directed to allergens with a molecular weight from 13 to 15 D.