Cross-reactivity of skin and serum specific IgE responses and allergen analysis for three mosquito species with worldwide distribution

Correlations of skin immediate and delayed reactions in mosquito skin bite tests between Ae. aegypti and Ae. vexans.

Correlations of skin immediate and delayed reactions in mosquito skin bite tests between Ae. aegypti and Ae. vexans.

Serum geometric mean mosquito-specific IgE levels to the three species in subjects with and without skin immediate reactions to Ae. vexans bites (top) or to Ae. aegypti bites (bottom).

Serum geometric mean mosquito-specific IgE levels to the three species in subjects with and without skin immediate reactions to Ae. vexans bites (top) or to Ae. aegypti bites (bottom).

ELISA inhibition tests. Pooled serum from subjects allergic to mosquitoes was incubated with Ae. vexans extract (left), Ae. aegypti extract (middle), and Cx. quinquefaciatus extract (right) overnight and then assayed for Ae. aegypti–IgE by ELISA as described in Methods.

Immunoblot analysis of antigens of the three mosquito species. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting were performed as described in Methods. Proteins of saliva or salivary gland extracts separated by SDS-PAGE were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes. Membranes were sequentially incubated with pooled serum from subjects allergic to mosquito bites, monoclonal anti-human IgE (left) or monoclonal anti-human IgG (middle), and conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG. Membranes were also incubated with the rabbit antibody to a recombinant 37 kd Ae. aegypti saliva protein (right), followed by incubation with conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG.