Isotype specific immunoglobulin responses to the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and the purified allergen Der p 1 in asthmatic and control subjects from the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea

The IgG, IgE and IgA antibody responses to the whole mite extract and a purified major mite allergen Der p 1, in sera from asthmatic and age- and sex-matched control subjects from the South Fore region of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, have been studied. Radio-allergosorbent studies showed that the majority of the asthmatics, in contrast to control subjects, produced IgE to whole mite extract, and that Der p 1 was a major allergen in this population with 88% of mite allergic asthmatics responding. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay studies on these sera showed that the geometric mean levels of whole mite, but not Der p 1, specific IgG and IgA were significantly higher in the asthmatic group than in the control group. Significant correlations between whole mite specific IgG, IgE and IgA responses were obtained. These data indicate that Papua New Guinean asthmatics are similar to Caucasian asthmatic population with regard to serological responses to mite allergens, despite differences in disease presentation, particularly the late age of onset and severity of symptoms.