Sensitisation profile to airborne allergens of patients followed for asthma in Cotonou, Benin. A cross-sectional study using prick-tests

The sensitisation profile to airborne allergens of asthma patients followed in Beninis not known.Patients and methods.-A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June2013 at the hospital reference centre. A prick-test was performed in all adults with asthmaconsulting during this period. The standardized allergenic extracts tested were: mites (Derma-tophagoides pteronyssinus [DP], Dermatophagoides farinae [DF] and Blomia tropicalis [BT]),cockroaches, 5 different grasses, Alternaria, dogs and cats. The test was positive when the dia-meter of the wheal was more than half that of the positive control and/or when the diameterof the wheal was ≥ 3 mm than the negative control.Results.-Of the 253 asthmatics tested, 247 (97.6%) had at least one positive skin reaction. Theaverage age was 44 years, the sex ratio was 0.81. Sensitization to mites was the most frequent(99.6%), followed by cockroaches (71.3%), 5 grasses (71.3%), Alternaria (71%), dog (68%) andcat (63.6%). The average number of sensitivities was 5 ± 2.Conclusion.-Asthmatics monitored in Cotonou have multiple sensitisations dominated bymites.