Saprophytic yeasts may be a source of allergens in AD. Thus, patients with AD, yeast growth, and elevated IgE levels to yeasts should be offered antifungal treatment.

No abstract

The cytokine profiles found in this study support the role of TH0 or TH1 cells by the side of TH2 cells in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. Pityrosporum ovale appears to be associated more with IL-4 responses and C. albicans with IFNgamma responses.

It is evident that P. ovale has several allergens, the 9, 96 and 20 kD regions being the most important. According to our results mannan is also an important allegen of P. ovale.

C. albicans mannan induced elevated IL-2 and IFN-gamma responses in AD patients. The correlations of the cytokine responses with mannan-induced IgE and proliferation responses suggest that C. albicans mannan induced TH1 type cytokine responses are involved in AD.