To evaluate the etiologic role of cockroach antigen in bronchial asthma in Korean children, 220 atopic asthmatic children were studied using in vitro assays for total(PRIST0 and cockroach specific IgE(FAST) antibodies, and the responsiveness of
skin
test, Specific IgE antibodies to major German cockroach allergens, Bla gI and Bla g II, were measured using avidine-biotin ELISA with monoclonal antibodies(sandwtch method) in 7 cockroach sensitive and 6 cockroach non-sensitive asthmatic
children.
Positive skin reactions were encountered in 28 out of 220(12.8%) atopic asthmatics. The FAST was positive in 24(11%) patients. Atopic asthmatics with positive skin reaction or FAST to crude cockroach antgen were 41(18.6%) of 220.
There was a relatively low degree of agreemont between positive reactions by skin test and FAST939.3%) compared with that of house dust mites antgens. On the other hand the positive rate of cockroach specific IgE was higher in patients who showed
positive skin reactions to cockroach antigen(P<0.05). Among fourty-one cockroach sensitive children with atopic asthma, 76.9% and 100% had positive skin reactions to D. fearinae and D. pteronyssinus respectively. Specific IgE antibodies to Bla g
I
and
Bla g II were detected in all patients with positive skin reaction ot crude cockroach antien and in 33.3% of those with negative skin reacitons.
In summary, the postive rate of cockroach allergy in Korean atopic asthmatic children was 18.6%. Cockroach seems to be one of the most common causative indoor allergen in Korean asthmatic children. The environmental assay of cockroach antigen is
be
needed in our country. We should further consider the possibility of cross reactivity and co - sensitization between cockorach and house dust mites allergens.
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