Cockroaches in relation to bronchial asthma in the Durban area.

Thirty patients from the White and Coloured asthma clinics were subjected to skin prick tests with various antigens. Although the house-dust mite was found to be the main offender, 9 of the 30 patients showed a significant reaction to cockroach antigen. It is felt that cockroaches play a role in the pathogenesis of asthma in the Durban area and that this fact should be considered in desensitization programmes.