BACKGROUND: Asthma and @entity2023 affect 15% and 38% of South African (SA) @entity1 , respectively. The @entity6711 ( @entity6711 ) is the most significant indoor aeroallergen. Typical @entity6711 species include @entity7130 , @entity8786 and Blomia tropicalis. Conventional skin-prick testing (SPT) panels only test for  @entity7130 . B. tropicalis has been described in the tropical and subtropical regions, but is not routinely tested for in SA. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the significance of B. tropicalis as an aeroallergen in northern coastal KwaZulu-Natal Province (KZN), a tropical environment, and in Johannesburg in the highveld, where the climate is milder and less humid. METHODS: @entity1 aged 1 - 18 years with features of @entity2023 and/or @entity565 were recruited over a 6-month period from Alberlito Hospital in northern KZN and the Clinton Clinic in Johannesburg. SPTs included @entity7130 and B. tropicalis. Sensitisation was defined as a wheal 3 mm greater than the negative control. RESULTS: Eighty-five subjects were included, 50 in northern KZN and 35 in the Johannesburg arm; 52% of subjects in northern KZN and 3% in Johannesburg were sensitised to B. tropicalis, with a significant difference between these centres (p<0.05). Of the 52% sensitised to B. tropicalis in northern KZN, half were sensitised only to B. tropicalis. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of B. tropicalis @entity566 in the tropical northern KZN region and a much lower prevalence in the Johannesburg region. Routine testing for B. tropicalis @entity566 should be employed in northern KZN.

Prevalence of Blomia tropicalis XXXX in two regions of South Africa.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'Children'] @entity2023 :: ('MESH:D006255', 'Disease') :: ['allergic rhinitis'] @entity7130 :: ('6956', 'Species') :: ['Dermatophagoides', 'Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus'] @entity565 :: ('MESH:D001249', 'Disease') :: ['asthma'] @entity566 :: ('MESH:D006967', 'Disease') :: ['allergy'] @entity8786 :: ('6954', 'Species') :: ['D. farinae'] @entity6711 :: ('MESH:D008924', 'Disease') :: ['HDM', 'housedust mite']
@entity566 :: (MESH:D006967,Disease) :: ['allergy']
