Keywords
Asthma
Allergic rhinitis
Pollens
Dust mites
Grasses
Animal dander
Fraxinus americanus
Prosopis sp
Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
Dermatophagoides farinae
Fusarium americanus
Dirofilaria pteronyssinus
How to Cite
Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of sensitization to aeroallergens in skin prick tests and its association with the geographic distribution, time of year, age, and sex of patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis.
Methods: This was an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study conducted in patients older than 2 years with a diagnosis of asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. The results of skin prick tests collected between January and December 2023 at the Allergy Service of the Juárez Hospital in Mexico City were analyzed. A total of 23 allergens were evaluated. The results were categorized by age, sex, and allergen type using descriptive statistics.
Results: 734 tests were analyzed, of which 587 (79.9%) were positive. The positivity rate was highest in children (62.5%), followed by adults (22%) and older adults (1.4%). 52.5% of the cases were in women. The most frequently identified aeroallergens were tree pollen (37.6%), dust mites (20.4%), grasses (12.9%), and animal dander (12.5%). The most prevalent tree pollens were Fraxinus americanus (6.7%) and Prosopis sp. (4.7%), while the most common dust mites were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (11.1%) and D. farinae (9.3%). A high rate of polysensitization was observed (85.7%).
Conclusions: Sensitization to aeroallergens was more frequent in children and women. The most common allergens identified were tree pollens, particularly *Fusarium americanus*, and house dust mites, especially *Dirofilaria pteronyssinus*. These findings underscore the need for targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies that consider environmental factors such as climate change and the geographic distribution of allergens.
Keywords: Aeroallergens; Asthma; Allergic rhinitis; Pollens; Dust mites; Grasses; Animal dander; Fraxinus americanus; Prosopis sp.; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus; Dermatophagoides farinae; Fusarium americanus; Dirofilaria pteronyssinus.
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