The prevalence of sensitization to dogs and cats varies by country, exposure time and predisposition to atopy. It is estimated that 26% of European adults coming to the clinic for suspected allergy to inhalant allergens are sensitized to cats and 27% to dogs. This document is intended to be a useful tool for clinicians involved in the management of people with dog or cat allergy. It was prepared from a consensus process based on the RAND/UCLA method. Following a literature review, it proposes various recommendations concerning the diagnosis and treatment of these patients, grounded in evidence and clinical experience. The diagnosis of dog and cat allergy is based on a medical history and physical examination that are consistent with each other and is confirmed with positive results on specific IgE skin tests. Sometimes, especially in polysensitized patients, molecular diagnosis is strongly recommended. Although the most advisable measure would be to avoid the animal, this is often impossible and associated with a major emotional impact. Furthermore, indirect exposure to allergens occurs in environments in which animals are not present. Immunotherapy is emerging as a potential solution to this problem, although further supporting studies are needed.

The diagnostic accuracy of the recombinant allergen-specific IgE test could help to improve the selection of specific-allergen immunotherapy in polysensitized patients.

Background: There have been few studies conducted on the efficacy and safety of specific immunotherapy with allergen extracts of fungi compared with other allergen extracts, and there are no data on the major allergen Alt a 1 of the fungus Alternaria alternata. Objectives: We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy with 2 different doses of Alt a 1 in patients with rhinoconjunctivitis caused by sensitization to A alternata. Method: We performed a multicenter, randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled trial with Alt a 1 administered subcutaneously in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with or without controlled asthma aged 12 to 65 years. Three groups were included: the placebo group and active groups receiving 0.2 or 0.37 mg of Alt a 1 per dose. The main end point was the combined symptom and medication score. Secondary end points were cutaneous reactivity and serum IgE and IgG 4 levels to Alt a 1. Recorded adverse reactions were graded according to World Allergy Organization criteria. Results: There were significant reductions in the combined symptom and medication score for the 0.37-mg dose of Alt a 1 compared with placebo at 12 months of treatment. Reduced cutaneous reactivity and IgE levels, together with increased IgG 4 levels, were demonstrated for the 2 active groups versus the placebo group. A similar safety profile was found for both active groups compared with the placebo group. No serious adverse drug reactions were reported. Conclusion: Immunotherapy with Alt a 1 was efficacious and safe, reducing the symptoms and medication consumption associated with rhinoconjunctivitis after only 1 year of treatment. The clinical benefits were associated with reduced skin reactivity and specific IgE levels and increased IgG 4 levels.

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