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The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and skin prick test findings in a group of 383 employees in a plant bakery population who had the greatest regular exposure to ingredient dusts. The prevalence of positive skin prick tests to fungal amylase was 16%, in contrast to 6% to wheat flour, suggesting that the principal sensitiser is fungal amylase and not...

The Aspergillus fumigatus mouse model of asthma mimics the characteristics of human fungal asthma, including local and systemic inflammation. Monocyte/macrophage lineage cells direct innate immune responses and guide adaptive responses. To identify gene expression changes in peripheral blood monocytes in the context of fungal allergy, mice were exposed to systemic and intranasal inoculations of...

Fungal sensitization in patients with asthma often indicates an unusual disease course in which traditional asthma treatments have little effect and in which morbidity is particularly severe. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), inflammatory infiltrates, smooth muscle hyperplasia, and irreversible fibrotic remodeling of the bronchial architecture are features of allergic fungal asthma. The systemi...

Sensitivity to fungi is a major risk factor for the development of asthma. However, the prevalence of fungal sensitivity in asthma is not completely understood. Nonetheless upward of 80% of asthmatic patients may be sensitized to one or more fungi. Fungal exposure occurs primarily from outdoors sources, but can occur in the indoor environment as well. Assessment of fungal exposure requires a mu...

Alternaria alternata spores are considered a well-known biological contaminant and a very common potent aeroallergen source that is found in environmental samples. The most intense exposure to A. alternata allergens is likely to occur outdoors; however, Alternaria and other allergenic fungi can colonize in indoor environments and thereby increase the fungal aeroallergen exposure levels. A conse...

INTRODUCTION The complicated etiology of chronic sinusitis with polyps and frequent allergy to mould is established. AIM We aimed to investigate the frequency of the IgE-dependent hypersensitivity in this group of patients and prove the need of surgery in allergic chronic rhinosinusitis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-two patients (19 females, 23 males) aged 34-73 years (55 ±12.6 years...

Fungi represent a large group of biodiverse microorganisms with potential applications ranging from industrial fields to the treatment for human diseases. A large number of pharmacologically active compounds including terpenoids, polysaccharides and proteins have been derived from these microorganisms. Fungal Immunomodulatory Proteins (FIPs) are a group of active compounds that are being consid...

father mentioned that on the placebo day he had eaten an omelet sandwich less than half an hour before the onset of the child’s reaction; immediately afterwards he had played with and kissed his son without washing his hands or mouth. With this information, we suspected that the patient had experienced contact urticaria caused by egg allergen transferred by the father. The placebo challenge was...