Demonstration isolation and identification of culturable microfungi and bacteria in horse hair and dandruff. Immunochemical comparison with allergic components.

Horse hiar and dandruff have been investigated for their content of microfungi and bacteria. Inoculation and incubation on V-8 agar containing penicillin and streptomycin, with subsequent colony counting and identification, revealed more than nine and five different genera of microfungi and bacteria respectively, in horse hair and dandruff. Isolation and cultivation of the quantitatively dominating species, and preparation of an extract of these were performed, followed by immunochemical comparison with extract of the horse hair and dandruff using crossed-line immuno-electrophoresis. As no immunochemical identity was demonstrated it was concluded that the identified microorganisms might serve as a guideline to suspected sensitizing substances when patients with a typical case history of horse allergy do not react to extracts of horse hair and dandruff.