PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Arlian

Publications and source records attributed to L Arlian.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Genetically distinct dog-derived and human-derived Sarcoptes scabiei in scabies-endemic communities in northern Australia.

Overcrowding is a significant factor contributing to endemic infection with Sarcoptes scabiei in human and animal populations. However, since scabies mites from different host species are indistinguishable morphologically, it is unclear whether people can be infected from scabies-infested animals. Molecular fingerprinting was done using three S. scabiei-specific single locus hypervariable microsatellite markers, with a combined total of 70 known alleles. Multilocus analysis of 712 scabies mites from human and dog hosts in Ohio, Panama and Aboriginal communities in northern Australia now shows that genotypes of dog-derived and human-derived scabies cluster by host species rather than by geographic location. Because of the apparent genetic separation between human scabies and dog scabies, control programs for human scabies in endemic areas do not require resources directed against zoonotic infection from dogs.

Alleles↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation of household dust mite exposure and levels of specific IgE and IgG antibodies in asthmatic patients enrolled in a trial of immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring the response to immunotherapy entails understanding exposure to relevant allergens. For the major indoor allergens, this requires sampling of dust from the patient's house. The objectives of this study were to measure indoor allergen levels during a controlled trial of dust mite immunotherapy for asthma and to relate these results to serum antibody levels. METHODS: Eighty-eight asthmatic patients with mite allergy from seven geographic areas in the United States were enrolled in and completed a course of immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides extract or placebo control. Sensitization was evaluated by quantitative measurements of IgG and IgE antibodies. Dust samples were assayed for group I mite (Der p 1 and Der f 1), cat (Fel d 1), and cockroach (Bla g 1) allergens by monoclonal antibody-based ELISA. RESULTS: Over the 4 years of the study, each of the houses had at least one sample that contained more than 2 micrograms of group I mite allergen per gram of dust. Mean mite allergen levels, however, varied over a wide range, from 0.2 microgram/gm or less to more than 50 micrograms/gm. IgE antibodies to mite were present in sera from 78% of the patients, whereas IgE antibodies to cat and cockroach allergens were found in sera from 34% and 11% of patients, respectively. Sixty-four percent of the patients had exposure and sensitization to mite, whereas the comparable figure for each of the other allergens was 5%. CONCLUSIONS: Examination of the results suggested that allergen exposure, relative to a trial of immunotherapy, could be expressed as (1) the maximum level found in the house, (2) the percentage of sites having greater than 2 micrograms/gm, or (3) the mean value at the site with the maximum level. This report provides a background for evaluating the clinical results of immunotherapy in these patients and a model for the way in which sensitization and exposure should be monitored in studies of this kind.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Cockroach sensitization in laboratory workers.

Six laboratory workers who were exposed to American cockroaches (AC) and German cockroaches (GC) while they were performing immunologic experiments were evaluated for cockroach hypersensitivity. Prick skin testing and RAST were performed with whole body extracts (1:20 wt/vol) of AC, brown-banded (BB), and GC species as well as hemolymph and fecal (F) extracts of AC. Three of six workers reported work-related nasal and ocular symptoms associated with xenografting and bleeding of cockroaches. All three symptomatic workers exhibited cutaneous reactivity to at least one cockroach antigen. Elevated RAST binding was observed in one of the three symptomatic workers. A nasal provocation to AC was positive in the most symptomatic worker at a provocative dose of 3.2 X 10(-3) mg causing a 50% decrease of nasal flow rate from baseline. After pretreatment with nasal cromolyn, the provocative dose causing a 50% decrease from baseline increased to 2.6 X 10(-1) mg. Nasal provocation with the same concentrations of AC were negative in two skin test negative subjects. RAST-inhibition studies demonstrated cross inhibition of the serum-specific IgE binding to AC-hemolymph by AC, GC, and BB whole body extracts. However, specific IgE binding to AC-F was inhibited by AC-F and AC but not by GC or BB whole body extracts, suggesting there was greater specificity of the F allergens. This study demonstrated that cockroach allergens elicit IgE-dependent upper respiratory sensitization in the workplace.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Experimental canine scabies in humans.

Adult female Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis mites were applied to human skin for 96 hours in an experimental chamber. Clinical lesions produced during this period were studied histologically. The organisms burrowed, defecated, and laid up to nine eggs that developed normally. Two eggs hatched after removal from the host. A life cycle was not completed during this short experiment, but these results suggest canine scabies are capable of such activities on human skin.

Animals↗