IgE-mediated allergy to spider mite, Panonychus citri in occupationally exposed individuals

This paper is the first report on allergy caused by a spider mite, Panonychus citri. Some of fruitgrowers cultivating Citrus junos were manifested immediate allergic symptoms by farming, especially by harvest. By examining C. junos trees, we found the trees cultivated by the fruitgrowers were infested with P. citri. Twelve subjects complaining of immediate allergic symptoms were examined by intradermal test and RAST using allergen extracts prepared from P. citri and Dermatophagoides spp. In intradermal test, ten out of twelve showed a positive response to P. citri and twelve positive to D. farinae. Positive RAST to P. citri were obtained in seven of twelve. Six of them also had positive RAST to D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus. In ELISA inhibition using a serum from Case 4, the inhibition with P. citri extract reached to 92% at the highest concentration used but at the same concentration D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus extracts did not inhibit the binding of specific IgE antibodies to allergen of P. citri. In Case 7, the extracts of P. citri, D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus inhibited at the same concentration 94%, 81%, and 87%, respectively. These results lead to the following conclusions: Seven subjects positive to P. citri in intradermal test and RAST are sensitized to P. citri. P. citri has a specific allergenic determinant in addition to a common determinant with Dermatophagoides spp.