Background: Cockroach is one of the most important sources of indoor allergens and can lead to IgE sensitization and development of rhinitis and asthma. Objective: We sought to perform a cockroach allergen component analysis to determine the allergens and antibody levels and patterns of sensitization associated with asthma and rhinitis. Methods: Antibody (IgE, IgG, and IgG(4)) levels to total cockroach and 8 cockroach allergens were determined in 2 groups of cockroach-sensitized 10-year-old children with (n = 19) or without (n = 28) asthma and rhinitis. Allergen-specific antibody levels were measured in streptavidin ImmunoCAPs loaded with each of the recombinant allergens from groups 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11, and total cockroach-specific IgE levels were measured with the i6 ImmunoCAP. Results: IgE antibody levels to cockroach allergens and extract, but not IgG or IgG(4) antibody levels, differed between subjects with and without asthma and rhinitis. Specifically, recognition of more cockroach allergens with higher allergen-specific IgE levels was associated with disease. Variable patterns of sensitization with no immunodominant allergens were found in both groups. There was a good correlation between the sum of allergen-specific IgE and total cockroach IgE levels (r = 0.86, P < .001). Conclusions: Component analysis of 8 cockroach allergens revealed significant differences in IgE reactivity associated with the presence of asthma and rhinitis. Allergen-specific IgE titers and sensitization profiles were associated with asthma and rhinitis.

Banerji, A; Busse, P; Shennak, M; Lumry, W; Davis-Lorton, M; Wedner, J; Jacobs, J; Baker, J; Bernstein, J; Lockey, R; Li, H; Craig, T; Cicardi, M; Riedl, M; Al-Ghazawi, A; Soo, C; Iarrobino, R; Sexton, D; TenHoor, C; Kenniston, J; Faucette, R; Biedenkapp, J; Chyung, Y; Adelman, B Masschusetts General Hospital, Boston, United States; Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, United States; Triumpharma, Amman, Jordan; AARA Research Center, Dallas, United States; Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, United States; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States; Allergy and Asthma Clinical Research, Walnut Creek, United States; Baker Allergy Asthma and Dermatology, Lake Oswego, United States; Univeristy of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United States; University of South Florida, Tampa, United States; Institute for Asthma and Allergy, Chevy Chase, United States; Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hersey, United States; University of Milan-Ospedale Luigi Sacco, Milan, Italy; University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States; Dyax Corp., Burlington, United States

RATIONALE: The seasonal distribution of respiratory viruses associated with pediatric asthma is well documented in temperate climates, but has not received similar attention in the tropics. METHODS: Nasal specimens were collected during the dry (n = 38, January to May) and rainy (n = 112, June to December) seasons from asthmatic children, 2-16 years, who (a) presented to A&E (n = 70) for nebulization or (b) were clinically stable (n = 80) during the previous 3 months. A novel, high-throughput Respiratory MultiCode PCR assay (UW-Madison & EraGen Biosciences, Madison, WI) was used to detect respiratory viruses. RESULTS: Viral prevalence was similar (χ2 = 0.026, p = 0.872) in both the dry (n = 10, 26.3%) and rainy (n = 28, 25.0%) seasons. Coronavirus OC43 or NL63 (n = 2, 5.3%) and human metapneumovirus (n = 1, 2.6%) were detected only in the dry season, whereas RSV B (n = 6, 5.4%), enterovirus (n = 3, 2.7%) and influenza A (n = 2, 1.8%) were exclusive to the rainy season. Parainfluenza virus (PIV 2, Dry, n = 1, 2.6%; PIV1, Rainy, n = 1, 0.9%) and rhinovirus (Dry, n = 6, 15.8%; Rainy, n = 19, 17.0%) were detected throughout the year. All specimens were negative for RSV A, influenza B, coronavirus 229E & SARS, PIV 3 and adenovirus. Prevalence of rhinovirus was not significantly (χ2 = 0.028, p = 0.867) associated with any particular season, but it was the most prevalent virus in both seasons. Rhinovirus demonstrated a significantly higher (χ2 = 7.736, p = 0.005) prevalence in children who needed to be nebulized (n = 18, 25.7%) compared with stable (n = 7, 8.8%) asthmatics. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinovirus is the major viral trigger for pediatric asthma in Trinidad and is not associated with seasonality in this tropical climate.