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Background: Fungi are known for their ability to cause allergies, but data on individual sensitization to them are insufficient. The purpose of the study was to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the fungal allergens’ sensitization profile in the Ukrainian population and to determine both population and individual sensitivity to these allergens. Methods: We utilized a set of ALEX allergy test data from 20,033 inhabitants of 17 regions of Ukraine from 1 to 89 years conducted in 2020–2022. A complex of programs in the Python language was developed and Bayesian network analysis was applied to determine the sensitivity combinations in individual patients to various fungal components. Results: Sensitivity to Alt a 1 dominated and was observed in 79.39% of patients, and 62.17% of them were sensitive solely to Alt a 1. Exclusive sensitivity to Mala s 6 was second in individual patient profiles with a frequency of 4.06%. Combined sensitivity to Alt a 1 – Asp f 3 was third with a share of 3.28%. Pen ch and Cla h extracts stimulated the production of the lowest median sIgE levels. The highest median sIgE levels were for Alt a 1, Mala s 11 and Asp f 6, respectively. Median sIgE levels increased in adults compared to children for all components of Aspergillus fumigatus, as well as for Mala s 5 and Mala s 11. In the rest of the cases, they decreased in adults compared to children. The sensitization rates to fungi in general and specifically to Alternaria were lower in the western parts of Ukraine, especially in the Carpathian region, situated within the Broad-leaved Forest zone. The results of Bayesian modeling revealed that in the case of Alt a 1, the simultaneous absence of sensitivity to Cla h 8, Mala s 11, Mala s 5 and Mala s 6 molecules could condition the presence of sensitization to the major Alternaria allergen with a probability of 92.42%. In all other cases, there was a high probability of absence of sensitivity to particular allergen against the background of absence of sensitivity to other ones, which may indicate the independent development of sensitization to different fungal allergens. Conclusions: Sensitivity to Alt a 1 dominated in the studied population with a lower rate in the western regions. The highest median sIgE levels were induced by Alt a 1, Mala s 11 and Asp f 6. Bayesian Analysis suggest a high probability of the independent development of sensitization to different fungal allergens. The idea that sensitization to one allergen may be protective against sensitization to another one(s) requires further clinical study.

Fungi are ubiquitous living beings present in the indoor and outdoor environment. Spores and mycelium of fungi carried by air have a great impact on ecology, the economy, in particular on agriculture, as well as on human health. It has been established that the incidence of fungal pathologies has increased rapidly over the past two decades. Fungi can cause allergies, and can be infectious agents, especially in immunocompomised people. Fungal spores are powerful sources of allergenic molecules covering a wide range of biochemical classes. Together with the fungal mycelium, they can cause the development of hypersensitivity, which is one of the most common pathological immune responses. Currently, known fungal aeroallergens are found in 3 fungal classes – Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Zygomycota. Therefore, the goal of our work was to determine the level of sensitivity to fungal allergens in the population of Vinnytsya region in order to prevent allergies caused by fungi. Data analysis of IgE-mediated, genuine, sensitization to fungal allergens of Alternaria (Alt a 1, Alt a 6), Cladosporium (Cla h, Cla h 8), Aspergillus (Asp f 1, Asp f 3, Asp f 4, Asp f 6), Penicillium (Pen ch), Malassezia (Mala s 11, Mala s 5, Mala s 6) and Saccharomyces (Sac c) was carried out using a component-resolved allergy diagnostics by ALEX2 test. The data of 87 residents of the Vinnytsya region aged 1 to 66 who underwent molecular allergy diagnostics in 2020–2022 were taken into account. Sensitivity to fungal allergens was observed in 20 patients or 23.0% of those tested. Among them, the highest level of sensitivity, in 15 patients or 75% of the number of sensitive individuals, was observed for the Alternaria fungus. The allergen component Alt a 1 caused high and very high levels of sensitization in 3 and 7 patients, respectively. Sensitivity to Aspergillus and Malassezia had the second highest rate: 6 patients or 30% of sensitized individuals were sensitive to these two fungal allergens. Alternaria was the most important fungal agent causing sensitization of the examined population of Vinnytsya region. Aspergillus allergens, known for their ability to cause both allergic and infectious reactions, were next in clinical importance. Cladosporium, which usually produce a highest number of spores in the atmosphere among all fungi, was characterized by low allergenicity. High levels of both specific and total immunoglobulin E can be prognostic markers of clinical manifestations of fungal allergy. This information should be taken into account for the prevention of fungal allergy among the population when creating allergy forecasts.

Fungi are ubiquitous living beings present in the indoor and outdoor environment. Spores and mycelium of fungi carried by air have a great impact on ecology, the economy, in particular on agriculture, as well as on human health. It has been established that the incidence of fungal pathologies has increased rapidly over the past two decades. Fungi can cause allergies, and can be infectious agents, especially in immunocompomised people. Fungal spores are powerful sources of allergenic molecules covering a wide range of biochemical classes. Together with the fungal mycelium, they can cause the development of hypersensitivity, which is one of the most common pathological immune responses. Currently, known fungal aeroallergens are found in 3 fungal classes –Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Zygomycota. Therefore, the goal of our work was to determine the level of sensitivity to fungal allergens in the population of Vinnytsya region in order to prevent allergies caused by fungi. Data analysis of IgE-mediated, genuine, sensitization to fungal allergens of Alternaria (Alt a 1, Alt a 6), Cladosporium (Cla h, Cla h 8), Aspergillus(Asp f 1, Asp f 3, Asp f 4, Asp f 6), Penicillium(Pen ch), Malassezia (Mala s 11, Mala s 5, Mala s 6) and Saccharomyces(Sac c) was carried out using a component-resolved allergy diagnostics by ALEX2 test. The data of 87 residents of the Vinnytsya region aged 1 to 66 who underwent molecular allergy diagnostics in 2020–2022 were taken into account. Sensitivity to fungal allergens was observed in 20 patients or 23.0% of those tested. Among them, the highest level of sensitivity, in 15 patients or 75% of the number of sensitive individuals, was observed for the Alternaria fungus. The allergen component Alt a 1 caused high and very high levels of sensitization in 3 and 7 patients, respectively. Sensitivity to Aspergillus and Malassezia had the second highest rate: 6 patients or 30% of sensitized individuals were sensitive to these two fungal allergens. Alternaria was the most important fungal agent causing sensitization of the examined population of Vinnytsya region. Aspergillus allergens, known for their ability to cause both allergic and infectious reactions, were next in clinical importance. Cladosporium, which usually produce a highest number of spores in the atmosphere among all fungi, was characterized by low allergenicity. High levels of both specific and total immunoglobulin E can be prognostic markers of clinical manifestations of fungal allergy. This information should be taken into account for the prevention of fungal allergy among the population when creating allergy forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The allergenicity of pollen of Poaceae family members is a well‐known and confirmed fact. Using the data of component‐resolved molecular diagnostics of allergy, we set a goal to establish the population and individual characteristics of sensitization to grass pollen and assess the patterns of its development. Methods: Multiplex allergy Alex2 test results of 20,033 patients were used. In addition to descriptive statistics to uncover traits of the sensitized population, statistical inference was utilized to establish the conditional probability of sensitisation, the nature of links between allergens, and the most frequent combinations of allergens in individual patient profiles. Results: Sensitivity to grass pollen comprised 30.79% of the studied sample. Children accounted for 62.21%, adults—37.79%. Sensitisation to Phl p 1, Lol p 1, and Cyn d 1 was the most frequent in all age groups. Among them, Phl p 1 and Lol p 1 were the major ones. Phl p 2, Phl p 5.0101, and Phl p 6 were also responsible for primary sensitization; Phl p 5.0101 promoted the highest sIgE levels. A combination "Lol p 1—Phl p 1", where Lol p 1 might play a leading role, was most frequent in individual profiles. Monosensitization to Phl p 2 was the second most frequent and Bayesian Network suggested its independent development. Monosensitization to Cyn d 1, especially among children, may indicate the impact of climate change, promoting the spread of the subtropical grasses to the temperate region. Conclusions: Descriptive statistics and known clinical data coincide well with statistical inference results and can provide for new clinical insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The allergenicity of pollen of Poaceae family members is a well‐known and confirmed fact. Using the data of component‐resolved molecular diagnostics of allergy, we set a goal to establish the population and individual characteristics of sensitization to grass pollen and assess the patterns of its development. Methods Multiplex allergy Alex2 test results of 20,033 patients were used. In addition to descriptive statistics to uncover traits of the sensitized population, statistical inference was utilized to establish the conditional probability of sensitisation, the nature of links between allergens, and the most frequent combinations of allergens in individual patient profiles. Results Sensitivity to grass pollen comprised 30.79% of the studied sample. Children accounted for 62.21%, adults—37.79%. Sensitisation to Phl p 1, Lol p 1, and Cyn d 1 was the most frequent in all age groups. Among them, Phl p 1 and Lol p 1 were the major ones. Phl p 2, Phl p 5.0101, and Phl p 6 were also responsible for primary sensitization; Phl p 5.0101 promoted the highest sIgE levels. A combination “Lol p 1—Phl p 1”, where Lol p 1 might play a leading role, was most frequent in individual profiles. Monosensitization to Phl p 2 was the second most frequent and Bayesian Network suggested its independent development. Monosensitization to Cyn d 1, especially among children, may indicate the impact of climate change, promoting the spread of the subtropical grasses to the temperate region. Conclusions Descriptive statistics and known clinical data coincide well with statistical inference results and can provide for new clinical insights.

Background: Fungi are known for their ability to cause allergies, but data on individual sensitization to them are insufficient. The purpose of the study was to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the fungal allergens' sensitization profile in the Ukrainian population and to determine both population and individual sensitivity to these allergens., Methods: We utilized a set of ALEX allergy test data from 20,033 inhabitants of 17 regions of Ukraine from 1 to 89 years conducted in 2020-2022. A complex of programs in the Python language was developed and Bayesian network analysis was applied to determine the sensitivity combinations in individual patients to various fungal components., Results: Sensitivity to Alt a 1 dominated and was observed in 79.39% of patients, and 62.17% of them were sensitive solely to Alt a 1. Exclusive sensitivity to Mala s 6 was second in individual patient profiles with a frequency of 4.06%. Combined sensitivity to Alt a 1 - Asp f 3 was third with a share of 3.28%. Pen ch and Cla h extracts stimulated the production of the lowest median sIgE levels. The highest median sIgE levels were for Alt a 1, Mala s 11 and Asp f 6, respectively. Median sIgE levels increased in adults compared to children for all components of Aspergillus fumigatus , as well as for Mala s 5 and Mala s 11. In the rest of the cases, they decreased in adults compared to children. The sensitization rates to fungi in general and specifically to Alternaria were lower in the western parts of Ukraine, especially in the Carpathian region, situated within the Broad-leaved Forest zone. The results of Bayesian modeling revealed that in the case of Alt a 1, the simultaneous absence of sensitivity to Cla h 8, Mala s 11, Mala s 5 and Mala s 6 molecules could condition the presence of sensitization to the major Alternaria allergen with a probability of 92.42%. In all other cases, there was a high probability of absence of sensitivity to particular allergen against the background of absence of sensitivity to other ones, which may indicate the independent development of sensitization to different fungal allergens., Conclusions: Sensitivity to Alt a 1 dominated in the studied population with a lower rate in the western regions. The highest median sIgE levels were induced by Alt a 1, Mala s 11 and Asp f 6. Bayesian Analysis suggest a high probability of the independent development of sensitization to different fungal allergens. The idea that sensitization to one allergen may be protective against sensitization to another one(s) requires further clinical study., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Purpose of Review: In Hymenoptera venom allergy, the research focus has moved from whole venoms to individual allergenic molecules. Api m 10 (icarapin) has been described as a major allergen of honeybee venom (HBV) with potentially high relevance for diagnostics and therapy of venom allergy. Here, we review recent studies on Api m 10 characteristics as well as its role in component-resolved diagnostics and potential implications for venom-specific immunotherapy (VIT). Recent Findings: Api m 10 is a major allergen of low abundance in HBV. It is an obviously unstable protein of unknown function that exhibits homologs in other insect species. Despite its low abundance in HBV, 35 to 72% of HBV-allergic patients show relevant sensitization to this allergen. Api m 10 is a marker allergen for HBV sensitization, which in many cases can help to identify primary sensitization to HBV and, hence, to discriminate between genuine sensitization and cross-reactivity. Moreover, Api m 10 might support personalized risk stratification in VIT, as dominant sensitization to Api m 10 has been identified as risk factor for treatment failure. This might be of particular importance since Api m 10 is strongly underrepresented in some therapeutic preparations commonly used for VIT. Summary: Although the role of Api m 10 in HBV allergy and tolerance induction during VIT is not fully understood, it certainly is a useful tool to unravel primary sensitization and individual sensitization profiles in component-resolved diagnostics (CRD). Moreover, a potential of Api m 10 to contribute to personalized treatment strategies in HBV allergy is emerging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]