Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Cockroaches”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Allergy to cockroaches in a Swiss population with asthma and chronic rhinitis].

Cockroach extracts are known to contain powerful allergens. In some parts of the world the majority of asthmatics have been shown to be allergic to cockroaches. We have evaluated the prevalence of sensitization to the cockroaches Blattella germanica and Trogoderma angustum in a Swiss population with chronic, non-seasonal asthma and rhinitis. The sera of 110 patients were screened for specific IgE by the RAST technique. We found 10 positive RAST (class 1 to 2). 7 of the 110 patients were sensitized to cockroaches (6.3%). 3 patients had positive RASTs for both species of cockroach. 2 patients had no other detectable allergy (= 5% of those who were considered as non-allergic before the study). These results suggest that allergy to cockroaches is uncommon in Switzerland but can sometimes be detected. We conclude that in Switzerland, screening for hypersensitivity to cockroaches should not be included in routine allergic investigations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Mechanical transmission of pathogenic organisms: the role of cockroaches.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Cockroaches (Diploptera punctata) are basically tropical insects and will do their best to find a home that is both warm and moist. Their involvement in the transmission of tropical diseases is poorly investigated in Africa. METHODS: A study on the bacterial, fungal and parasitic profile of cockroaches trapped in and around houses in Ekpoma was carried out using standard microbiological techniques. RESULTS: Of a total of 234 cockroaches trapped from different sites (toilets, parlours, kitchens and bedrooms) in houses with pit latrines and water system, the bacterial, fungal and parasitic isolates were identical irrespective of the site, these included: E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Salmonella sp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serretia marcescens, S. aureus, S. feacalis, S. epidermidis, Aeromonas sp, Candida sp, Rhizopus sp, Aspergillus sp, Mucor sp, cysts of E. hystolitica, oocysts of C. parvum, C. cayetenensis and Isospora belli, cysts of Balantidium coli, ova of Ascaris lumbricoides, Anchylostoma deodunalae, Enterobius vermicularis, ova Trichuris trichura, larva of Strongyloides stercoralis. Cockroaches trapped in the toilets of houses with pit latrines had a mean bacterial and parasites count of 12.3 x 10(10) org/ml and 98 parasites/ml respectively, while those trapped in the houses with water system had a mean bacterial and parasitic count of 89.5 x 10(7) org/ml and 31 parasites/ml respectively. A bacterial count of 78.9 x 10(7) org/ml was recorded from cockroaches trapped from the kitchens of houses with pit latrines. On the other hand a mean bacterial and parasitic count of 23.7 x 10(6) org/ml and 19 parasites/ml were recorded from kitchens of houses with water system. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Cockroaches represent an important reservoir for infectious pathogens, therefore, control of cockroaches will substantially minimise the spread of infectious diseases in our environment.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Specific bronchial challenge in cockroach asthma.

Clinical characteristics of allergic asthma due to inhalation of cockroach antigens have been reported sporadically in the literature. To assess the patterns of bronchial response in cockroach asthma we performed bronchial provocation tests (BPT) with cockroach extract in 25 asthmatic patients who had positive skin test with this extract. Of 25 patients, 23 had cockroach-specific-IgE-antibodies. Seventeen subjects presented only immediate asthmatic reaction, five patients had dual response (immediate + late), and one patient developed only late asthmatic response. BPT were negative in two patients who did not have cockroach-specific-IgE-antibodies. These results indicate that BPT with cockroach antigen is a very specific test for cockroach asthma. It shows immediate, dual and late responses, and correlates well with the presence of specific IgE antibodies against this allergen.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Antigenic/allergenic characterization of American and German cockroach extracts.

Cockroach allergens have been implicated as clinically significant sensitizing agents in the induction/exacerbation of "urban asthma." In the present study, approximately 50% of atopic, predominantly inner-city residents had immediate wheal-and-flare cutaneous reactivity to a commercial American cockroach whole body extract. Crude whole body extracts were prepared in our laboratory from both American (Periplaneta americana) and German (Blatella germanica) cockroach species. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of American cockroach whole body extract (AWBE) and German cockroach whole body extract (GWBE) detected a total of 50 and 56 precipitin peaks, respectively, when extracts were reacted with hyperimmunized rabbit antisera. Crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis identified at least five electrophoretically distinct allergens each in AWBE and GWBE. Cockroach whole body extracts produced two major protein peaks when extracts were fractionated on Sephadex G-75. RAST-inhibition studies demonstrated allergens in both peak 1 and the immediate trailing fractions of the column. Direct RAST and end point prick skin testing confirmed the presence of significant/important allergens in column "fraction 2" of AWBE. Skin testing and RAST analysis suggested the occurrence of shared and species-specific allergens between AWBE and GWBE. Collectively, these studies confirm the important sensitizing potential of cockroach allergens, characterize their number and size distribution by crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis and column chromatography, support the occurrence of significant allergens in column "fraction 2," and suggest the occurrence of both species-specific and shared interspecies allergens.

Allergens↗
PubMed2004

Purification and characterization of arginine kinase from the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana).

The isolation and characterization of homogeneous arginine kinase from the cockroach is reported. The purification protocol produces 6.6 mg of pure enzyme from 6.8 g of whole cockroach. The purified enzyme cross-reacts with a heterologous antibody and monoclonal antibody against arginine kinase from the shrimp. Both antibody preparations also cross-react with extracts from several species known to contain monomeric arginine kinase, but fail to react with extracts from organisms containing dimeric arginine kinase. Cockroach arginine kinase has a molecular mass of approximately 43,000 determined from measurements by gel filtration and gel electrophoresis. Compared with other arginine kinases, the enzyme from the cockroach is relatively thermostable (50% activity retained at 50 degrees C for 10 min) and has a pH optima of 8.5 and 6.5-7.5, for the forward and reverse reactions, respectively. Treatment with 5,5'dithiobis[2-nitrobenzoic acid] indicates that arginine kinase has a single reactive sulfhydryl group and, interestingly, the reaction is biphasic. The Michaelis constants for the phosphagen substrates, arginine: 0.49 mM, phosphoarginine: 0.94 mM, and nucleotide substrates MgATP: 0.14 mM, MgADP: 0.09 mM, are in the range reported for other arginine kinases. A 1% solution of pure enzyme has an absorbance of 7.0 at 280 nm. Calculations based on circular dichroic spectra indicate that arginine kinase from the cockroach has 12% alpha-helical structure. The intrinsic protein fluorescence emission maximum at 340 nm suggests that tryptophan residues are below the surface of the protein and not exposed to solvent. Arginine kinase from the cockroach and shrimp are known to be deleterious immunogens towards humans. The availability of pure protein, its characterization and potential regulation of activity, will be useful in developing agents to control the cockroach population and its destructive role in agriculture and human health.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Learning of leg position by cockroaches in response to light.

Learning by the cockroach Periplaneta americana was studied using an electronic device that turns off a light in response to leg position. Training and testing were modeled on the Horridge procedure, with the position of a leg of one cockroach (P) controlling stimulation of both itself and a yoked control (R) during training, and the legs of P and R controlling stimulation independently during testing. In addition, testing was followed by reversal, in which each cockroach had to avoid the trained position in order to prevent exposure to light. During half-hour training periods. P cockroaches learned to lift a mesothoracic leg to turn off light. This learning was most evident during reversal, when P cockroaches continued to keep the leg lifted and were therefore exposed to appreciably more light than were R cockroaches. Cockroaches were unable to learn to lower the mesothoracic leg to escape light with a similar procedure.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) as a vector for verotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18 in confined swine production.

German cockroaches are common pests of confined swine production in North Carolina and other southeastern states. Vector competence of German cockroaches for one of the most important porcine bacterial pathogens, verotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18, was evaluated in laboratory bioassays using a culturing approach followed by multiplex PCR. In addition, the populations of fecal coliforms from the feces of piglets and cockroaches collected from a swine nursery were assessed. Viable and virulent cells of E. coli F18 were detected in cockroach feces for up to 8 days after the initial exposure. The population of fecal coliforms in cockroach feces was high (4.4 x 10(5) CFU g(-1)) and comparable to that of piglet feces (1.9 x 10(6) CFU g(-1)). This study demonstrates that cockroaches may serve as important mechanical vectors of pathogenic E. coli. Integrated management of cockroach populations should be incorporated into the disease prevention and control programs in the swine industry.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Estimating nutritional status of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), in the field.

Nutritional status of German cockroaches from the field (HUD apartments) was estimated using uric acid content to measure amount of protein consumed, and respiratory quotient (RQ) to measure fat and carbohydrate metabolized. Initial trials demonstrated the stability of these two indicators as nymphal cockroaches grow and with timing of meals. Nutrient consumption (and presumed availability) was estimated by comparing uric acid content and RQ of nymphal cockroaches collected from kitchens of HUD apartments with those reared in the laboratory and provided a series of meridic diets. Uric acid content was linearly related to percentage of dietary protein (y=6.2x-32.07, r(2)=0.96) and RQ was linearly related to log(10)(% fat:% carbohydrate) (y=-0.148Log(x)+0.790, r(2)=0.68). Field-collected German cockroaches contained 10.9+/-7.7 to 22.9+/-5.1 &mgr;g/mg uric acid and RQ of 0.770+/-0.024 to 0.803+/-0.260. Comparatively, cockroaches provided rodent chow had greater uric acid content (125.1+/-9.6 &mgr;g/mg) and RQ (0.878+/-0.022). Employing linear calibration and these regressions, diet consumed by German cockroaches in the field was estimated at 7+/-3% to 9+/-3% protein and equivalent amounts of carbohydrates and fat as an energy source. German cockroaches in the field consume less protein and carbohydrates, and more fat compared to those provided a standard laboratory diet such as rodent chow. Diet available in the field is considered suboptimal, resulting in physiological stress; the biological implications of this stress are discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Identification of low molecular weight allergens of American cockroach and production of monoclonal antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have identified two allergic fractions (Cr-PI and Cr-PII) from crude American cockroach extract, from which the 72- and 78-kilodalton (kD) components of Cr-PI have been identified as major allergens. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify important allergens in Cr-PII and produce monoclonal antibodies. METHODS: Sera of cockroach-sensitive atopic patients were examined for IgE binding to Cr-PII proteins and monoclonal antibodies were generated by fusion between spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with Cr-PII and FO cells. RESULTS: Immunoblotting revealed that eight allergenic compounds in Cr-PII are able to bind specific IgE. Allergens of 18, 28, 32 and 45 kD bound 16.7% (2/12), 100% (12/12), 83.3% (11/12), and 100% (12/12) of the atopic sera tested, respectively. Cell fusion resulted in three stable subclones secreting monoclonal antibodies, and none of the monoclonal antibodies recognized any epitopes of German cockroach and Cr-PI of American cockroach. One monoclonal antibody reacted strongly with the 28- and 32-kD allergens of Cr-PII, and two monoclonal antibodies were able to bind the 18- and 12-kD components of Cr-PII with similar epitope specificities. All the epitopes defined by monoclonal antibodies are recognized by human IgE as demonstrated by a fluoroallergosorbent test (FAST) inhibition assay. Five commercial cockroach extracts were compared for Cr-PII levels by monoclonal antibody-base ELISA, and all extracts were found to contain detectable Cr-PII. CONCLUSION: The 28-, 32-, and 45-kD components of Cr-PII may be considered as additional important allergens of American cockroach and monoclonal antibodies can be used to identify and define American cockroach allergens.

Allergens↗
PubMed2003

Allergenicity of recombinant Bla g 7, German cockroach tropomyosin.

BACKGROUND: Cockroach infestation may sensitize and elicit allergic responses to genetically predisposed individuals. Invertebrate tropomyosins are a frequent cause of allergy and highly cross-reactive in nature. In this study, we aimed to produce recombinant German cockroach tropomyosin and investigate its allergenicity. METHODS: German cockroach tropomyosin (Bla g 7) was cloned by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cloned cDNA was over-expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography using Ni-nitrilotriacetic (NTA) acid resin. The allergenicity of the recombinant tropomyosin was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The cloned Bla g 7 shared up to 91% amino acid sequence identity with other cockroach tropomyosins. ELISA showed a recombinant Bla g 7 sensitization rate of 16.2% to German cockroach allergic sera. Recombinant tropomyosin was able to inhibit 32.4% of the specific IgE binding to cockroach extract. CONCLUSIONS: Tropomyosin represents a minor allergen in cockroach extracts. It is hoped that recombinant tropomyosin will be useful for further studies and clinical applications.

Allergens↗
PubMed1999

Cockroach allergy and asthma in a 30-year-old man.

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.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Lipid transfer particle in the hemolymph of the American cockroach: evidence for its capacity to transfer hydrocarbons between lipophorin particles.

A lipid transfer particle (LTP) was isolated and purified from the hemolymph of the adult male American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, essentially according to the method previously developed for the purification of LTP from locust hemolymph. Fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) on a Mono Q column was used as the additional step to obtain pure LTP. The electron micrograph of purified cockroach LTP exhibited an unusual and asymmetric shape essentially similar to that reported for Manduca sexta LTP (Ryan et al. 1990. J. Lipid Res. 31:871-879). The cockroach LTP was also found to be basically similar to that of M. sexta and locust in terms of subunit structure and lipid composition, although there were significant differences particularly in the contents of hydrocarbons and diacylglycerol. A simple method for assaying LTP activity was developed, based on the finding that cockroach LTP can catalyze the transfer of labeled hydrocarbons (or diacylglycerol) from labeled high density lipophorin (HDLp) bound with a transfer membrane (Immoblion) to unlabeled HDLp dissolved in saline. This finding reveals that cockroach LTP has the capacity to transfer and/or exchange lipids between lipophorin particles with the same density. It was also demonstrated that cockroach LTP has the capacity to catalyze the transfer and/or exchange of hydrocarbons, in addition to diacylglycerol, between cockroach HDLp and locust low density lipophorin (LDLp).

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Proline-specific dipeptidyl peptidase activity in the cockroach brain and intestine: partial characterization, distribution, and inactivation of tachykinin-related peptides.

Proline-specific dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP IV) is an established enzyme known to degrade neuropeptides and peptide hormones in vertebrate tissues. DPP IV cleaves peptides at the Pro2 residue. Because several neuropeptides of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae, such as LemTRP-1 (APSGFLGVRamide), are potential substrates for this peptidase, we investigated the occurrence of proline-specific DPP activity in cockroach tissues. Partly purified DPP activity was characterized from the brain and midgut of L. maderae by using Gly-Pro-4-nitroanilide as a substrate. The highest activity was obtained from the membrane fraction of intestine; about 10 times less activity (per milligram protein) was obtained from brain membranes. A smaller amount of soluble DPP activity could also be identified in both tissues. Gel chromatography of the solubilized intestinal DPP activity revealed a molecular mass of about 75 kDa. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.5. Diprotin A (Ile-Pro-Ile) was an efficient competitive inhibitor of the cockroach DPP, whereas other known DPP inhibitors were found to be less potent. When incubated with human and cockroach DPP IV, the cleavage products of LemTRP-1 were AP and SGFLGVRamide (des-AP-LemTRP-1) as determined by mass spectrometry of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-purified peptide fragments. The AP fragment was biologically inactive and the des-AP fragment had a drastically reduced myostimulatory activity on the hindgut of L. maderae. The blowfly TRP callitachykinin-I (CavTK-I; APTAFYGVRamide) was cleaved in two steps to des-AP-CavTK-I and desAPTA-CavTK-I, showing that cockroach DPP does not only liberate Xaa-Pro, but also Xaa-Ala dipeptides. The fragment desAPTA-CavTK-I was completely inactive on the cockroach hindgut. To compare, LemTRP-3 and CavTK-II, which lack a Pro2, were not cleaved by DPP IV. Enzyme histochemistry for DPP IV was performed on cryostat sections of brain and intestine with Gly-Pro-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide as the substrate and Fast Blue B as the chromogen. Strong histochemical labeling was seen in specific neuropils of the brain such as the calyces of the mushroom bodies, the antennal glomeruli, and the central body. Also, the inner lining of the midgut (the peritrophic membrane) and the malpighian tubules were strongly labeled by reaction product. In both the brain and intestine, the enzyme-histochemical reaction was inhibited by diprotin A.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Parasitoid wasp uses a venom cocktail injected into the brain to manipulate the behavior and metabolism of its cockroach prey.

Unlike other venomous predators, the parasitoid wasp Ampulex compressa incapacitates its prey, the cockroach Periplaneta americana, to provide a fresh food supply for its offspring. We first established that the wasp larval development, from egg laying to pupation, lasts about 8 days during which the cockroach must remain alive but immobile. To this end, the wasp injects a cocktail of neurotoxins to manipulate the behavior of the cockroach. The cocktail is injected directly into the head ganglia using biosensors located on the stinger. The head sting induces first 30 min of intense grooming followed by hypokinesia during which the cockroach is unable to generate an escape response. In addition, stung cockroaches survive longer, lose less water, and consume less oxygen. Dopamine contained in the venom appears to be responsible for inducing grooming behavior. For the hypokinesia, our hypothesis is that the injected venom affects neurons located in the head ganglia, which send descending tonic input to bioaminergic neurons. These, in turn, control the thoracic premotor circuitry for locomotion. We show that the activity of identified octopaminergic neurons from the thoracic ganglia is altered in stung animals. The alteration in the octopaminergic neurons' activity could be one of the mechanisms by which the venom modulates the escape circuit in the cockroach's central nervous system and metabolism in the peripheral system.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Cockroach sensitization in laboratory workers.

Six laboratory workers who were exposed to American cockroaches (AC) and German cockroaches (GC) while they were performing immunologic experiments were evaluated for cockroach hypersensitivity. Prick skin testing and RAST were performed with whole body extracts (1:20 wt/vol) of AC, brown-banded (BB), and GC species as well as hemolymph and fecal (F) extracts of AC. Three of six workers reported work-related nasal and ocular symptoms associated with xenografting and bleeding of cockroaches. All three symptomatic workers exhibited cutaneous reactivity to at least one cockroach antigen. Elevated RAST binding was observed in one of the three symptomatic workers. A nasal provocation to AC was positive in the most symptomatic worker at a provocative dose of 3.2 X 10(-3) mg causing a 50% decrease of nasal flow rate from baseline. After pretreatment with nasal cromolyn, the provocative dose causing a 50% decrease from baseline increased to 2.6 X 10(-1) mg. Nasal provocation with the same concentrations of AC were negative in two skin test negative subjects. RAST-inhibition studies demonstrated cross inhibition of the serum-specific IgE binding to AC-hemolymph by AC, GC, and BB whole body extracts. However, specific IgE binding to AC-F was inhibited by AC-F and AC but not by GC or BB whole body extracts, suggesting there was greater specificity of the F allergens. This study demonstrated that cockroach allergens elicit IgE-dependent upper respiratory sensitization in the workplace.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Linkage of kdr-type resistance and the para-homologous sodium channel gene in German cockroaches (Blattella germanica).

Pyrethroids are an important class of insecticides for controlling insect pests, including the German cockroach. Unfortunately, many insects have developed resistance to pyrethroids. One of the most important mechanisms of resistance is kdr (knockdown resistance) which is characterized by neural insensitivity to pyrethroids and DDT. To investigate whether the voltage-dependent sodium channel is involved in kdr-type resistance in the German cockroach, we isolated a 120 bp DNA fragment of the para-homologous sodium channel gene from German cockroaches. Using this fragment as a probe, we identified a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the para-homologous sodium channel gene between susceptible and kdr-type resistant German cockroaches. RFLP analysis of F2 and backcross cockroach populations (total of 331 individuals) showed that all homozygous resistant individuals had a 3.7 kb EcoRI fragment, all homozygous susceptible individuals had a 3.0 kb EcoRI fragment, and all heterozygous individuals had both 3.7 and 3.0 kb fragments. No recombination was detected between the kdr-type resistance locus and the para-homologous sodium channel gene. This suggests that the kdr-type resistance locus and para-homologous sodium channel gene are identical or tightly linked (< 0.2 cM) in German cockroaches. Our results provide strong evidence that modification of para-homologous sodium channels is associated with kdr-type resistance.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Virulence, horizontal transmission, and sublethal reproductive effects of Metarhizium anisopliae (Anamorphic fungi) on the German cockroach (Blattodea: Blattellidae).

Virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin strain EAMa 01/121-Su against the German Cockroach, Blatella germanica (L.), was determined using four concentrations ranging from 4.2 x 10(6) to 4.2 x 10(9) spores per milliliter. The LD50 value was 1.4 x 10(7) spores per milliliter (56,000 spores per cockroach) and LT50 values were 14.8 days and 5.3 days for 4.2 x 10(8) and 4.2 x 10(9) spores per milliliter, respectively. An experiment was conducted to evaluate whether a fungal transmission could exist among infected and healthy cockroaches. Percentage mortality at a ratio of 1:10 of infected to unexposed cockroaches was 87.5% and LT50 was 12.2 days, which indicated the potential of this strain to be horizontally transmitted and to rapidly spread the infection in the insect population. The effect of a sublethal dose (ca. LD60) of M. anisopliae EAMa 01/121-Su strain, applied topically on German cockroaches, was studied by reciprocal crossing. Othecal production, oothecal hatchability, and nymphal production declined upon exposure to M. anisopliae EAMa 01/121-Su strain. The mean number of oothecae laid by female was progressively and significantly reduced by fungal treatment from second oviposition period onwards. Oothecal hatch of fungally challenged females was reduced by 46-49%, oothecal viability by 48-85%, and nymphal production by 22-35%. Only treated females showed an effect on oothecal production, oothecal hatch, and nymphal production, although oothecal hatch was also governed by treated males at a higher significance level. Our results on virulence and horizontal transmission of fungal conidia of M. anisopliae EAMa 01/121-Su strain and its sublethal reproductive effects on German cockroach females are discussed in terms of its potential to decrease the pest status of B. germanica in the short and long terms.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Identification of important allergens in German cockroach extracts by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blot analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in the purification and characterization of cockroach allergens, identification of clinically important allergens and their source have not been completely elucidated. This study investigated the allergen content of German cockroach (Blattella germanica) whole body (GWBE) and fecal (GFE) extracts. METHODS: Sera from 37 subjects with asthma, with positive skin test results to cockroach, were used for RAST and Western blot (after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE] under reducing conditions); this serum panel is the largest used to date for cockroach allergen analysis. RESULTS: RAST reactivity to GWBE and GFE were highly correlated (r = 0.882, p < 0.001). SDS-PAGE and Western blotting showed that GWBE and GFE had similar patterns of IgE binding. Furthermore, Western blot inhibition investigations revealed that either GWBE or GFE could almost completely inhibit the reactivity of the other extract, SDS-PAGE and Western blotting demonstrated in both extracts numerous bands that displayed a high prevalence of IgE binding. Protein bands at 67, 50, 45, and 36 kd bound more than 50%, and the band at 60 kd bound approximately 80% of the sera tested. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this investigation identified German cockroach allergens, established their relative importance by prevalence of reactivity to a large serum panel, and demonstrated that cockroach feces possess significant allergenic activity. Five allergens identified demonstrated reactivity with up to 50% to 80% of the 37 subjects' sera tested.

Allergens↗