AMPATH Laboratories, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
S Afr Med J. 2020 Jul 7;110(7):686-690. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v110i7.14420.
Allergy is a common health problem in South Africa (SA), and a rational approach to allergy testing is essential to ensure cost-effective as well as optimal patient diagnosis and management.
To review allergy testing data with respect to current national testing recommendations, and to explore the regional variations in sensitisation.
Retrospective data review on allergy testing from a private pathology provider in SA over a 2-year period. Data on skin-prick testing (SPT) and allergen-specific IgE testing originating from all the provinces of SA were collected and analysed with regards to allergen positivity rate and regional sensitisation patterns.
Among the patients (N=45 0320) tested for a suspected inhalant allergy, 46% tested positive. Only 45% of these received additional testing for the nine recommended inhalant allergens included in the current national testing protocol. Among the patients (N=6 775) who received SPT for a suspected inhalant allergy, 59% yielded one or more positive results. The most frequent sensitising allergens were house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) and grass pollen. The house dust mite, Blomia tropicalis, was a significant sensitiser in coastal regions. SPT identified two other important regional allergens which are not included in the current recommendations for inhalant allergen-specific IgE testing.
The current diagnostic recommendations include allergens that demonstrate significant sensitisation in all regions of SA. Two additional allergens that show significant regional sensitisation in the South African population were identified. These findings may aid the recommendations for the most appropriate and cost-effective approach to allergy testing of symptomatic patients in SA.
过敏是南非（SA）常见的健康问题，因此采用合理的过敏测试方法对于确保成本效益以及优化患者诊断和管理至关重要。
根据当前国家测试建议，回顾过敏测试数据，并探讨致敏的区域性差异。
对南非一家私人病理服务提供商在两年期间进行的过敏测试进行回顾性数据审查。收集并分析了来自南非所有省份的皮肤点刺测试（SPT）和过敏原特异性 IgE 测试的数据，以了解过敏阳性率和区域性致敏模式。
在接受疑似吸入性过敏测试的患者（N=450320）中，有 46%呈阳性。仅有 45%的患者接受了当前国家测试方案中包含的 9 种推荐吸入性过敏原的额外测试。在接受疑似吸入性过敏测试的患者（N=6775）中，有 59%的患者出现一个或多个阳性结果。最常见的致敏过敏原是屋尘螨（Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus）和草花粉。博氏嗜螨（Bloima tropicalis）是沿海地区的重要致敏原。SPT 还确定了另外两种重要的区域性过敏原，它们不包括在当前推荐的吸入性过敏原特异性 IgE 测试中。
目前的诊断建议包括在南非所有地区均显示出显著致敏性的过敏原。确定了另外两种在南非人群中具有显著区域性致敏性的过敏原。这些发现可能有助于为 SA 有症状患者提供最合适和最具成本效益的过敏测试方法的建议。
