Further studies in allergenic identity between house dust and the house dust mite, Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes, 1961.

The sera from 99 Japanese asthmatic subjects were studied for the allergenic similarity between house dust and the House-dust Mite, Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes, 1961. A close correlation (correlation coefficient 0.92, P less than 0.01) was obtained between house dust and the mite with the radioallergosorbent test (RAST). High correlation was not noted between house dust and other allergens such as smoky brown cockroach, Periplaneta fuliginosa, Aspergillus, book lice, Liposcelis bostricophilus, Cheyletus malaccensis and Tribolium confusum. IgE antibody to the mite reduced significantly after the incubation of the sera with house dust and IgE antibody to house dust reduced markedly after the incubation of the sera with the mite. These results further support the view that the mite is the most important allergenic component in house dust.