Shrimp and cockroach co-sensitization in Southern China: Association with moth sensitization

Background: Moth is a common allergen in southern China. Shrimp sensitization might be related to the moth allergen. Objective: This study investigated sensitization to moth allergen in patients in southern China sensitized to shrimp and explored the effect of moth sensitization on different allergic diseases. Methods: Serum samples from 212 patients sensitized to shrimp were tested for specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, crab, cockroach, and moth. Results: The patients sensitized to shrimp were co-sensitized to D. pteronyssinus (88.7%), crab (85.4%), cockroach (89.2%), and moth (92.0%). Overall, 75% of the patients sensitized to shrimp tested positive to the above allergens; only four patients were sensitized to shrimp alone. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) concentrations of sIgE to shrimp (2.66 kU/L [1.02-6.11 kU/L] versus 1.61 kU/L [0.70-3.67 kU/L]), crab (2.35 kU/L [0.83-4.18 kU/L] versus 1.30 kU/L [0.59-3.14 kU/L]), cockroach (3.78 kU/L [0.98-6.91 kU/L] versus 1.56 kU/L [0.85-3.17 kU/L]), and moth (4.70 kU/L [2.98-9.62 kU/L] versus 2.85 kU/L [1.16-7.01 kU/L]) in patients with skin allergic diseases was significantly higher than in patients with respiratory allergic diseases (all p < 0.05). The median (IQR) concentration of sIgE to cockroach in the young adults (2.33 kU/L [0.86-5.56 kU/L]) was the highest among all age groups as well as to moth (young adults: 4.14 kU/L [1.93-8.24 kU/L]). With the increasing positive class of shrimp allergen, the sIgE concentration of moth, cockroach, and crab also increased, and the optimal scaling analysis showed that the sIgE of crab, cockroach, and moth had a strong correlation with sIgE to shrimp (Cronbach α = 93.8%). Conclusion: This study found a high rate of co-sensitization between moth, D. pteronyssinus, cockroach, and crab among patients sensitized to shrimp and a strong correlation between shrimp, moth, and cockroach. Shrimp and cockroach co-sensitization might be related to moth allergens.