[Sensitization to the acarus Blomia tropicalis in patients with respiratory allergy]

House dust mites are important environmental allergens in Southern Brazil. Some allergic patients do not respond to specific immunotherapy for Dermatophagoides ssp. For that reason we decided to evaluate the skin test sensitivity to tropical mites, Blomia tropicalis and Blomia kulagini. Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and/or asthma were selected for tests. (N = 135). The wheals cross diameter were recorded. The frequency of strong reactions were 82% for B. tropicalis, 69% for D. pteronyssinus, 56% for D. farinae and 46% for B. kulagini. Wheals were larger with Dermatophagoides sp in 30 patients (22%); similar in 61 patients (45%) and larger with-Blomia sp in 44 patients (33%). Three patients reacted only to Blomia. This study verifies that sensitization to Blomia is common in patients with respiratory allergy. In addition it contains unique allergens that could account for treatment failures with Dermatophagoides in some cases.