Background: In 1999, an extensive study among bell pepper growers showed that a predatory mite, Amblyseius cucumeris, is a potentially relevant source of occupational allergens because 23% of the population had positive skin prick test reactions.
Objective: To investigate whether cross-reactivity between A. cucumeris and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is responsible for the cosensitization to both mite species found in 58.7% of A. cucumeris-sensitized greenhouse workers.
Methods: Fifteen serum samples from greenhouse workers with work-related inhalant allergy and a positive radioallergosorbent test (RAST) reaction to A. cucumeris or D. pteronyssinus were selected for immunoblot analysis using extracts of both mites. A subselection (n = 5) was used for RAST and immunoblot inhibition to investigate potential cross-reactivity.
Results: On immunoblot, 2 distinct patterns were observed: one pattern showed common protein bands in A. cucumeris and D. pteronyssinus blots suggestive of cross-reactivity between A. cucumeris and D. pteronyssinus and the other pattern showed no shared protein bands. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus RAST inhibition with A. cucumeris extract was low in 4 serum samples (<25% inhibition) and nearly absent in 1 serum sample; A. cucumeris RAST inhibition with D. pteronyssinus extract was high in 1 serum sample (75% inhibition), low in 2 serum samples (35% and <15% inhibition), and absent in 2 serum samples. These results were confirmed by immunoblot inhibition experiments.
Conclusions: Amblyseius cucumeris, a new occupational allergen, has species-specific antigens and common antigens that are cross-reactive with the house dust mite D. pteronyssinus.