Efficient diagnosis of allergy and proper treatment need identification of the causative allergens eliciting clinical symptoms. The present study was performed to identify the most common aero- and food allergens and determine the pattern of sensitization among people of Ahvaz (southwestern Iran), one of the most polluted cities worldwide. Based on the physical examination and medical records, patients were referred to the Allergy laboratory for "in vitro" IgE determination. Specific and total IgE was determined by the ImmunoCAP system (Thermo Fisher-Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden). A total of 666 consecutive patients (51.1% female) were tested for 202 different allergens. The majority of requests (57%) belonged to food allergens. Sensitization to at least one allergen was found in 47.6% of patients. In a selected group of allergens for which specific IgE had been tested in at least 100 patients, the most common sensitizing aeroallergens were Russian thistle, grass pollen, and willow; while wheat, honey, and shrimp were the most frequent food allergens, respectively. Sensitization profiles based on measurement of specific IgE indicated that Russian thistle, grasses, and wheat were the most prevalent allergens in people with allergic symptoms living in Ahvaz.
Keywords: Allergen; Hypersensitivity; Iran; Prevalence; Specific IgE.