Background:

Allergy skin prick tests are important tools for the diagnosis of respiratory allergic diseases. Cockroach antigens have been identified as the cause of rhinitis, asthma, and other allergic diseases.

Objective:

To show that the cockroach antigen participates in the cause of allergic diseases.

Methods:

A retrolective and cross-sectional study was carried out, for which clinical records and history of atopy were reviewed; the results were obtained from blood biometry, nasal cytology, total IgE, and coproparasitoscopic serial tests. After prior informed consent, skin tests were applied in 3-74 year-old patients.

Results:

1,837 patients were studied; the prevalence of cutaneous reactivity to the cockroach antigen was of 17.90%; 56% of the patients had a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, and only 6% had been diagnosed with asthma and rhinitis.

Conclusion:

The application of the cockroach antigen in skin tests must be considered in the practice of all allergists.

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