SKIN TESTING AND EXTRINSIC ALLERGIC ALVEOLITIS

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 54  (1) , 282-288
Abstract
Skin testing with 6 common allergens [Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, grass pollen, cat fur, mixed feathers, Sporobolomyces and Aspergillus fumigatus], tuberculin and a sterile avian antigen preparation from pigeon serum was performed on 102 pigeon fanciers. The incidence of positive prick tests to common allergens was no different for subjects with extrinsic allergic alveolitis, EAA, caused by avian exposure than the whole group. Positive immediate wheal and flare reactions following skin prick testing with avian antigen occurred in 22 subjects and was closely correlated with atopy. When the same antigen was administered intradermally, 69 subjects developed an immediate (15 min) wheal and flare reaction which did not correlate with atopy, instead, the wheal diameter correlated significantly with the serum IgG antibody titer against pigeon serum .gamma.-globulin antigen. The higher grades of reaction were highly selective for subjects with EAA. Ten subjects, all with strong early intradermal skin reactions, developed a late (4 to 6 h) skin reaction; this was again highly selective for EAA. The subjects with cutaneous anergy to tuberculin had markedly higher IgG antibody titers to avian antigens, and these included the majority of the subjects with alveolitis.