Intradermal reactions against the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor in normal dogs and dogs with atopic dermatitis

Intradermal reactions against the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor in normal dogs and dogs with atopic dermatitis Positive reactions against dust and storage mites are commonly seen with both intradermal and serum testing for allergen-specific IgE in small animal practice. This study evaluated the frequency and degree of intradermal reactions against Lepidoglyphus (L.) destructor antigens in dogs without any evidence of skin disease within their history or on physical examination and in atopic dogs. Twenty-one normal dogs and twenty-six dogs with atopic dermatitis were intradermally tested with three concentrations of L. destructor antigens (250, 500 and 1000 PNU/ml). The reactions were evaluated subjectively and objectively, and compared. A significant difference in degree and frequency of positive reactions between normal and atopic dogs was not observed for any of the antigen concentrations. The number of subjectively evaluated positive reactions was significantly higher than the number of reactions objectively measured only when the control group was evaluated at the lowest antigen concentration (p = 0.0089). Positive intradermal reactions against L. destructor are not necessarily associated with a clinical allergic reaction and their relevance can only be evaluated after the diagnosis of environmental allergy and in the context of the patient's history.