Evaluation of an Indigenous Community Possibly Protected Against Sensitivity to Mites in the Andean Region

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Rationale Mites species are present throughout the world, the sensitization to these oscillate according to the region. However, little has been clarified in some ethnic. Intraepidermal tests and specific immunoglobulins for mites are lower in indigenous people compared to other predominant ethnic groups in the region. Methods An analytical study was carried out to compare ethnic groups in an Andean region of South America. The indigenous group selected with the Respondent-Driven Sampling technique (RDS) and the mestizos group was from a capital city, paired by sex and age group. Prick tests with extracts, with concentrations of 300μg/mL for B. tropicalis, 300μg/mL for D pteronyssinus, and 400μg/mL for D farinae; as well as an allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) measurement, were tested on individuals with allergic disease history. We used correlational effect sizes for comparing two groups using the Point-Biserial correlation. Results Diameters of the wheals showed large size effect, with lower diametral values in the indigenous group compared with the values of the mestizo group B tropicalis (rbis = -0.50, 95% CI: -0.68 to -0.21), D pteronyssinus (rbis = -0.54, 95% CI: -0.71 to -0.26) and D farinae(rbis = -0.47, 95% CI: -0.66 to -0.17). The IgE reported medium effect sizes, with lower values in the indigenous ethnic group B tropicalis (rbis = -0.29), D pteronyssinus (rbis = - 0.35) and D farinae (rbis = -0.33, 95%). Conclusions The environmental aspects and social determinants could be modifiable factors for the reaction of the indigenous population against Blomia tropicalis, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae mites.