Specific IgE antibodies to 16 widespread mold genera in patients with suspected mold allergy.

A panel of 55 sera from patients with suspected mold allergy from two different geographic areas, A and B, was investigated for specific IgE antibodies to 16 individual molds using Phadebas RAST technique. The molds investigated were Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, and Candida from the former RAST panel and ten additional new mold genera. The RAST screening revealed that 73% of patients had specific IgE antibodies to at least one of the 16 molds. Eighteen percent were negative to the six molds of the previous RAST panel but had specific IgE antibodies to at least one of the ten new molds. The highest frequency of IgE antibodies in the A group could be assigned to Cladosporium, followed by Botrytis and Helminthosporium. In group B, sensitivity to Botrytis and Phoma showed the highest frequencies. This study revealed that the relative importance of mold genera may vary greatly between patient groups from different geographic areas. Some of the species of the expanded RAST panel seem to be at least as important as Alternaria and Cladosporium. Multiple sensitivities seem to be caused by sensitization by many mold species rather than by cross-reactivity.