Physicochemical and immunochemical quantitation of house dust allergens

House dust extracts for clinical use must be purified in order to free them from indesirable irritants and pyrogens. A discussion is given of practical and simple methods for the standardized production of purified house dust allergens, which can be quantitated on the basis of relatively simple analytical and physicochemical parameters. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis may help in the controlled production of safe and potent preparations. In contrast, elaborate standardization by quantitative single radial immunodiffusion with anti house dust sera may lead to completely erroneous results.