چکیده (انگلیسی):

Exposure and sensitization to fungal allergens can promote the development and worsening of allergic
diseases. Although numerous species of fungi have been associated with allergic diseases in the literature,
the significance of fungi from the genera Alternaria, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, and
Malassezia has been well documented. However, it should be emphasized that the contribution of
different fungal allergens to allergic diseases is not identical, but species-specific.
Alternaria and Cladosporium species are considered to be important outdoor allergens, and sensitization
and exposure to species of these genera is related to the development of asthma and rhinitis, as
well as epidemics of asthma exacerbation, including life-threatening asthma exacerbation. In contrast,
xerophilic species of Penicillium and Aspergillus, excluding Aspergillus fumigatus, are implicated in allergic
diseases as indoor allergens. A. fumigatus has a high capacity to colonize the bronchial tract of asthmatic
patients, causing severe persistent asthma and low lung function, and sometimes leading to allergic
bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Malassezia are common commensals of healthy skin, although they are
also associated with atopic dermatitis, especially on the head and neck, but not with respiratory allergies.
Despite its importance in the management of allergic diseases, precise recognition of species-specific
IgE sensitization to fungal allergens is often challenging because the majority of fungal extracts exhibit
broad cross-reactivity with taxonomically unrelated fungi. Recent progress in gene technology has
contributed to the identification of specific and cross-reactive allergen components from different fungal
sources. However, data demonstrating the clinical relevance of IgE reactivity to these allergen components
are still insufficient.