The prevalence of IgE antibody reactivity against the alkaline @entity563 protease major allergen of XXXX increases with the age of @entity748 @entity1 .

@entity748 @entity1 @entity5449 @entity1576 @entity563 @entity8907
BACKGROUND: @entity5449 species are prevalent airborne fungi. However, the prevalence of allergic sensitization to @entity5449 antigens and the true impact of these ubiquitous fungi on @entity1576 remain to be determined. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of immunoglobulin (Ig)E and IgG antibodies against @entity5449 ( @entity8907 ch 13), the alkaline @entity563 protease major allergen of @entity5449 , in @entity748 @entity1 of different age groups. METHODS: @entity8907 ch 13 was purified from a culture medium of @entity5449 . The reactivity of IgE and IgG antibodies to @entity8907 ch 13 in the serum samples of 212 @entity748 @entity1 was analyzed by immunoblotting methods. RESULTS: Sixty-nine (33%) of the 212 sera analyzed showed IgE and/or IgG immunoblot reactivity to @entity8907 ch 13. Significant differences in the prevalence of IgE and/or IgG antibody reactivity to @entity8907 ch 13 were found among eight different age groups of 212 @entity748 @entity1 . The frequency of IgE-binding reactivity to @entity8907 ch 13 increased significantly with the age of the @entity1 . It was 7% for the group less than 10 years old and 42% for the group older than 70 years old. In addition, a significant difference between the prevalence of IgE (7%) and IgG (33%) antibodies against @entity8907 ch 13 in the group aged 10 or less was also found. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that IgE and IgG antibodies specific for @entity8907 ch 13 were detected in approximately one-third of the 212 @entity748 @entity1 analyzed. Our results suggest that allergic sensitization to @entity8907 ch 13, and possibly to other airborne @entity5449 species, is more common in older @entity748 @entity1 .
