Cross-reaction and co-sensitization among related and unrelated allergens in canine intradermal tests

Laura Buckley, Vanessa Schmidt, Neil McEwan, Tim Nuttall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Intradermal tests are used to identify allergens for avoidance and immunotherapy in atopic dogs.
Hypothesis/Objectives - To evaluate cross-reaction or co-sensitization among 53 intradermal test allergens.

Animals - Six hundred and fifty-one client- owned dogs with atopic dermatitis.

Methods - Intradermal tests were performed with 53 house dust/storage mite, epidermal, insect, tree, weed and grass pollen and mould allergens. Pairwise comparisons were used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and statistical significance for the results of each allergen pair, with significance at P <0.0006 (Holm-Bonferroni correction to reduce the false-detection rate).

Results - Apart from cotton, cockroach, red clover, grain smut and Penicillium, the results for the allergens within each group were statistically associated [ORs from 4.7 (CI 2.5-8.9) to 1229.4 (CI 166.5-1795.1); P = 0.0005 to P <0.0001]. Excluding red clover and cotton, 94% of results between tree, weed and grass pollens were also statistically associated [ORs from 8.3 (CI 3.6-24.7) to 117 (CI 29.1-341); P = 0.0005 to P <0.0001]. In contrast, few allergens from unrelated groups were statistically associated [ORs from 0.12 (CI 0.03-1.1) to 27.7 (CI 0.2-93); P = 1.0 to P <0.0001]. The mean (SD) of the log e transformed ORs for the related and statistically associated allergens [5.3 (1.3)] was significantly greater than those for related but nonstatistically associated [1.7 (1.6)] or unrelated allergens [1.4 (1.4); P <0.0001].

Conclusions and clinical importance - This suggests that there is cross-reaction or co-sensitization between related allergens. This could have implications for allergen selection in testing and immunotherapy, but further studies are required to differentiate cross-reaction from co-sensitization.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)422-e92
JournalVeterinary Dermatology
Volume24
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2013

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