Allergen analysis in children with allergic rhinitis in Shenzhen

Objective To categorize the allergens that affect children with allergic rhinitis in Shenzhen.Methods Inhalant and food allergens were determined in vitro with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)in 264 children with allergic rhinitis and 60 non-atopic control children from Jan 2006 to Dec 2008.Results In Shenzhen city,the allergen positive rate of the children with allergic rhinitis was 90.91%(240/264),while that of the non-atopic control was 8.3%(3/60).The majority of allergens were inhalant.The positive rate increased along with the increase of patients' age.Conclusion The major allergens in children with allergic rhinitis in Shenzhen were dust mite,fungi,and cockroach.This result provide an objective groundwork for prevention and treatment for allergic rhinitis