Study of Candida albicans & Aspergillus fumigatus Sensitization among Egyptian patients with allergic Bronchial Asthma

Asthma is a major cause of disability, health resource utilization and poor quality of life for those who are affected. The global prevalence rates of doctor diagnosed asthma, clinical/treated asthma and wheezing in adults were 4.3%, 4.5%, and 8.6% respectively among 70 countries. Sensitization to fungi is an important factor in patients with allergic respiratory tract diseases, playing a major role in the development, persistence, and severity of lower airway disease, particularly asthma. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitization to Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus fungi among Egyptian patients with allergic Asthma. This design of this study was cross-sectional, with enrolling of consecutive 100 adult asthmatic patients attended the allergy outpatient clinic; Ain Shams University hospital in the years 2015-2016. We found that 28 and 12 patients had positive Skin Prick Test to Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus respectively, from those 22 and 10 were positive at Broncho-provocation test with positive predictive value of skin prick test 78.6% for Candida albicans and 83.3% for Aspergillus fumigatus.