Cross-reaction of recombinant termite (Coptotermes formosanus) tropomyosin with IgE from cockroach and shrimp allergic individuals

The incidence of allergic diseases appears to be increasing and poses substantial health, psychological, and economic burdens.1,2 In the United States, asthma affects approximately 40 million individuals, and 15 million people have food allergies. Cockroaches are considered a major class of airborne allergens that contribute to allergic disease in urban areas worldwide.3 Tropomyosin is a major allergen in cockroaches, house dust mites, and shellfish and is considered a panallergen.4 Cockroach tropomyosin is a 31-kDa protein with multiple IgE-binding sites that cross-react with IgE from shrimp allergic patients.

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