Search Results (4)

Background/Objectives: There is an abundance of evidence to support the associations of allergic sensitization with asthma. Reducing exposure to allergens can help prevent the progression of asthma. Given the significant regional variations in allergen distribution patterns, our objective was to characterize the sensitization patterns of common childhood aeroallergens in a large, hospital-based pediatric cohort from West China through epidemiological surveys, thereby providing region-specific key data to guide the development of targeted prevention strategies and clinical management protocols. Methods: We analyzed data from 30,565 multiple allergosorbent tests collected by our hospital from 2024 to 2025. We additionally collected sex and age. If the level of an aeroallergen was 0.35 IU/mL or more, the test result for that aeroallergen was defined as positive, and positive cases were defined as those where one aeroallergen was positive. The positive rates for aeroallergens were calculated using the total number of tested children in each category (such as season, gender or age group). Results: A total of 30,565 children in West China were surveyed, with an overall allergen sIgE positive rate of 37.7%. Autumn had the highest positive rate (41.2%), which was significantly higher than those of the other seasons (p < 0.01). Indoor allergens had higher positive rates than outdoor ones. The top indoor allergens were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (30.18%), Dermatophagoides farinae (27.13%), and house dust (22.99%); the top outdoor allergens were Cupressus (10.22%), Betula platyphylla (5.01%), and Sycamore (4.24%). The positive rate increased with age: 18.49% in infants and toddlers, 38.58% in preschool children, and 45.96% in school-aged children (all p < 0.01). Males (39.76%) had a higher total positive rate than females (34.90%) (p < 0.01), with significant gender differences in five allergens, including Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, house dust, Alternaria, and Sycamore. Conclusions: This study provides detailed epidemiological data on aeroallergen sensitization patterns among children, including seasonal, age-related, and sex-related differences. These findings may help inform region-specific preventive strategies and guide future research on allergen avoidance. Full article

Environmental exposures are increasingly recognized as important drivers of ocular surface inflammation, yet their combined contribution to the onset, exacerbation, and clinical burden of allergic conjunctivitis (AC) has not been comprehensively synthesized. This systematic review evaluated the evidence linking air pollutants, aeroallergens, and indoor or occupational exposures with allergic conjunctivitis. The review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 and AMSTAR-2 guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251162399). PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to 18 September 2025. Two independent reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using the MINORS tool. Owing to substantial heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively. Twenty-nine studies were included, encompassing more than three million outpatient visits. Consistent associations were observed between particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone with increased AC incidence and symptom severity, with variations by age, sex, and season. Pollen and air pollutants frequently acted synergistically. Indoor exposures were associated with increased risk in children, while occupational settings demonstrated exposure–response relationships. Experimental studies identified mechanisms involving epithelial barrier disruption, NF-κB activation, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin signaling. Overall, environmental exposures substantially contribute to allergic conjunctivitis and may inform improved prevention and personalized clinical management. Full article

Fungal allergy is the third most frequent cause of respiratory pathologies and the most related to a poor prognosis of asthma. The genera Alternaria and Cladosporium are the most frequently associated with allergic respiratory diseases, with Alternaria being the one with the highest prevalence of sensitization. Alternaria alternata is an outdoor fungus whose spores disseminate in warm and dry air, reaching peak levels in temperate summers. Alternaria can also be found in damp and insufficiently ventilated houses, causing what is known as sick building syndrome. Thus, exposure to fungal allergens can occur outdoors and indoors. However, not only spores but also fungal fragments contain detectable amounts of allergens and may function as aeroallergenic sources. Allergenic extracts of Alternaria hyphae and spores are still in use for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases but are variable and insufficiently standardised, as they are often a random mixture of allergenic ingredients and casual impurities. Thus, diagnosis of fungal allergy has been difficult, and knowledge about new fungal allergens is stuck. The number of allergens described in Fungi remains almost constant while new allergens are being found in the Plantae and Animalia kingdoms. Given Alt a 1 is not the unique Alternaria allergen eliciting allergy symptoms, component-resolved diagnosis strategies should be applied to diagnose fungal allergy. To date, twelve A. alternata allergens are accepted in the WHO/IUIS Allergen Nomenclature Subcommittee, many of them are enzymes: Alt a 4 (disulfide isomerase), Alt a 6 (enolase), Alt a 8 (mannitol de-hydrogenase), Alt a 10 (aldehyde dehydrogenase), Alt a 13 (glutathione-S-transferase) and Alt a MnSOD (Mn superoxide dismutase), and others have structural and regulatory functions such as Alt a 5 and Alt a 12, Alt a 3, Alt a 7. The function of Alt a 1 and Alt a 9 remains unknown. Other four allergens are included in other medical databases (e.g., Allergome): Alt a NTF2, Alt a TCTP, and Alt a 70 kDa. Despite Alt a 1 being the A. alternata major allergen, other allergens, such as enolase, Alt a 6 or MnSOD, Alt a 14 have been suggested to be included in the diagnosis panel of fungal allergy. Full article

Group 1 protease allergens that persist in fecal particles from house dust mites (HDM) are the prevalent indoor aeroallergens and the primary triggers of dust mite allergy. Consequently, it is vital to discover a secure, efficient, affordable, and eco-friendly inhibitor to restrain these allergens. Herein, an assessment on the suppression of allergens Der f 1 and Der p 1 (predominant Group 1 allergens) with todomatsu oil derived from the remnants of Abies sachalinensis was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and molecular docking analysis in silico. The results demonstrated that todomatsu oil effectively suppresses allergens Der f 1 and Der p 1 by lowering their allergen contents, and the decline rate rises with increasing todomatsu oil concentration. The formation of alkyl hydrophobic interactions, pi-sigma bonds, and hydrogen bonds have been observed between oil ingredients and allergens Der f 1 and Der p 1. Intriguingly, the majority of oil ingredients prefer to dock on hydrophobic amino acids. Additionally, oil ingredients docked to the cysteine protease site on Der f 1 or IgG epitope on Der p 1 were discovered. Notably, the binding affinity (BA) score and inhibition constant (Ki) revealed that bornyl acetate, the component with the maximum relative proportion in todomatsu oil, is included in the top five ingredients with the best inhibition effectiveness. As a result, todomatsu oil has been identified as an efficient inhibitor against Group 1 HDM allergens and a viable measure to improve indoor air quality. Full article