Sensitization to three mites in Cuban children with allergic respiratory diseases

Introduction: According to published results of the study ISAAC phase III, the prevalence of allergic diseases as rhinitis and asthma have increased in our country. The dust mites are the main agents that can trigger or contribute to respiratory diseases and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP), Blomia tropicalis (BT) and Dermatophagoides siboney (DS) are the most prevalents. Objective: to determine the sensitization to 3 domestic mite species in allergic children and its relation with respiratory diseases. Method: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out. The study group included 93 children (mean age 9, 4, range 1-18 years) with male predominance ( 53,7%) attended in the allergy department of the University Hospital Calixto Garcia of Havana, Cuba from June to August 2013. For each subject, a clinical history was compiled and skin testing was performed. Results: Allergic rhinitis was the most allergic illness reported (49%), followed by asthma (34%) coexisting both of them in 30% of studied children. Ninety five percent was sensitized to mites and 75 percent was sensitized to three mites. Althoug the higher geometric mean of wheal was to B.tropicales did there was not significant difference in respect to DP and DS. It was found that the age has influence in the cutaneous reactivity being bigger the size of the wheal in older children(p