| Cockroach Allergy and Asthma in a 30-Year-Old Man George T. O'Connor1,2 and Diane R. Gold3,4 1Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center; and 2Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118 USA
3Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital; and 4Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA Abstract
A growing body of evidence has implicated allergens derived from cockroaches as an important environmental factor that may aggravate asthma in sensitized persons. We present the case of a 30-year-old man with asthma and a cockroach allergy. Allergy skin testing confirmed hypersensitivity to cockroach extract, and a home visit revealed visual evidence of infestation and the presence of Bla g 1 German cockroach allergen in vacuumed dust. As is typical of patients with a cockroach allergy and asthma, multiple factors in addition to cockroach allergen appeared to aggravate the patient's asthma. A multimodality therapeutic regimen, which included medications as well as cleaning of the home, integrated pest management, and professional application of chemical controls, resulted in substantial clinical improvement. The pathophysiology, epidemiology, and clinical features of cockroach-allergic asthma are reviewed, and an approach to diagnosis and management is suggested. Key words: allergy, asthma, cockroach, indoor allergens. Environ Health Perspect 107:243-247 (1999) . [Online 10 February 1999] http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1999/107p243-247oconnor/ abstract.html Address correspondence to G.T. O'Connor, Pulmonary Center, Room R 304, Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118. Supported by NIAID and NIEHS (AI39769 and AI35786) and NHLBI (HL03062) . Received 27 October 1998 ; accepted 10 December 1998.
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