Abstract
Allergenicity (antigenicity) of the common domestic cockroaches in Japan, Blattella germanica (Linne), Periplaneta fuliginosa (Serville), and P. americana (Linne), was investigated by skin tests, RAST, and basophil degranulation test with crude antigens extracted from the triturated, whole cockroach bodies with physiological saline. The following results were obtained : 1. Eight out of 9 volunteers who had been working in an entomological laboratory were positive for the cockroach antigens in prick tests. 2. Five of 7 asthmatic outpatients who visited an allergy clinic were positive for the antigens in intradermal tests, and 12 of the other 34 asthmatic patients gave positive results in IgE-RASTs with the antigens. 3. Two out of the 7 positive volunteers in the prick tests were subjected to basophil degranulation tests; one of them showed positive result for the test, but the other was negative. These results confirmed the allergenicity of the common cockroaches against man, but a discrepancy between man's reactivities in the prick- and basophil degranulation tests to the antigen remained to be investigated. Allergenic difference was also suggested between cockroach- and house dust mite antigens.
