Percutaneous sensitisation to house dust mite may occur naturally in eczema

The concentrations of serum IgE with specificity for the faecal and body allergens of the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, were compared in 69 children with various combinations of asthma, eczema and/or rhinitis. The concentration of IgE antibodies to the mite body was higher in those with eczema than those with asthma but the concentrations of anti-faecal antibodies were similar. Our results suggest that anti-mite body antibodies are characteristic of eczema and that sensitization to the body allergen may occur because of its passage through the skin.