McHugh S M, Credland P F, Tee R D, Cranston P S
Department of Biology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Surrey, U.K.
Clin Allergy. 1988 May;18(3):275-85. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1988.tb02870.x.
Some chironomid (non-biting) midges contain potent human allergens, principally in the form of insect haemoglobins. In view of previously demonstrated immunological cross-reactivity between some different midge species, the possible role of British midges in allergic disease was studied. The chosen site, Farmoor near Oxford, is a village that has been subject to several annual nuisance midge swarms since the construction of an adjacent water-supply reservoir in 1964, which was extended in 1975. The incidence and severity of hypersensitivity in the community was assessed by questionnaire survey, skin-prick testing, radio-allergosorbent tests (RAST) and RAST inhibition, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and ELISA inhibition, using extracts of locally caught adult midges (Tanytarsus sylvaticus, T. bathophilus and Chironomus anthracinus) and laboratory cultured larvae (C. riparius). These tests revealed a low but significant level of midge-related hypersensitivity with skin-prick results showing seasonal fluctuations, but this seasonality was not confirmed with an IgE RAST. A correlation between IgE levels and relevant symptoms was found (P less than 0.01) using RAST, but not between IgE and skin-test results. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results did not correlate with any other parameter measured. The incidence and severity of allergic reactions to the midges tested in this community was low.
一些摇蚊（不叮人的蠓）含有强效的人类过敏原，主要以昆虫血红蛋白的形式存在。鉴于先前已证明某些不同蠓种之间存在免疫交叉反应，因此对英国蠓在过敏性疾病中的可能作用进行了研究。选定的地点是牛津附近的法莫尔村，自1964年建造相邻的供水水库（该水库于1975年扩建）以来，该村每年都会遭受几次恼人的蠓虫成群侵扰。通过问卷调查、皮肤点刺试验、放射变应原吸附试验（RAST）和RAST抑制试验，以及酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）和ELISA抑制试验，使用当地捕获的成年蠓（林地摇蚊、嗜水摇蚊和炭疽摇蚊）提取物和实验室培养的幼虫（粗壮摇蚊），评估了该社区超敏反应的发生率和严重程度。这些试验显示与蠓相关的超敏反应水平较低但具有统计学意义，皮肤点刺结果呈现季节性波动，但IgE RAST未证实这种季节性。使用RAST发现IgE水平与相关症状之间存在相关性（P小于0.01），但IgE与皮肤试验结果之间不存在相关性。酶联免疫吸附测定结果与所测量的任何其他参数均无相关性。该社区对所测试蠓的过敏反应发生率和严重程度较低。
