110 RELEVANCE OF IN VITRO METHODS FOR THE DTAGNOSTS OF ALLERGY TO ALTERNARIA TENUIS AND CLADOSPORIUM HERBARUM

In 22 patients suffering from allergic asthma caused by Alternaria tenuis and/or Cladosporium herbarum as proven by bronchial provocation tests the following diagnostic procedures were performed: skin prick test determination of specific IgE antibodies by RAST (comparing old type RAST discs with new more sensitive mould discs) and the detection of specific IgE and IgG antibodies using an immunoblot technique. Finally, mould induced histamine release was analysed. In only 34% skin test was found to be positive. Old type RAST discs detected specific IgE antibodies in 70%, whereas the new improved discs were able to show IgE antibodies in 88%. By means of immunoblotting specific IgE and IgG were demonstrated in most of the patients. The best correlation to the state of allergy, however, was achieved by mould induced histamine release, which was positive in 94%. The data show that the use of new improved mould discs for IgE RAST, but also of mould induced histamine release and immunoblotting strongly increase the possibilities for detection of allergy against Alternaria and Cladosporium.