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Measures IgE separately against the 8 allergens from the inhalant screen, such as house dust mite, cat, dog and pollen. Shows why a screen was positive.
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All tests
Allergy and intolerance · Blood
IgE antibodies to Cladosporium
Antibodies against the mold Cladosporium; shows whether the immune system is sensitive to this mold, not whether it bothers you.
At a glance
- Measured in blood
- In 3 test panels
- No special preparation
Explanation
IgE antibodies to Cladosporium: what is measured?
Cladosporium herbarum is one of the most common molds in outdoor air. The spores are mainly in the air in summer and late summer, and the mold can also grow indoors in damp places. This test measures the amount of IgE antibodies against Cladosporium herbarum in the blood, in kU/l. IgE is the type of antibody that, in an allergic reaction, triggers mast cells to release histamine; the body only makes these antibodies after it has previously been in contact with the allergen, and this is called sensitization.
What can it detect?
- Sensitization to the mold Cladosporium: the body has made IgE antibodies against it
- Support in working out a suspected mold allergy, together with the history of the symptoms
Result
What does the result mean?
IgE antibodies to Cladosporium too high
A value above the cut-off means that you have IgE antibodies against Cladosporium: sensitization. That is not the same as an allergy. In people with nose or eye symptoms, coughing or shortness of breath in summer and late summer, or in a damp home, a positive result may fit an allergy to this mold. According to Thuisarts.nl, molds can cause nasal symptoms all year round. In people without such symptoms, a positive result only means that the antibodies are there; no treatment follows.
IgE antibodies to Cladosporium too low
A value below the cut-off means that no IgE antibodies against Cladosporium were found. An allergy to this mold is then less likely, but an allergy to other molds is not ruled out by this. Symptoms in summer can also come from pollen, and symptoms at home from house dust mite, animals or irritants such as smoke and odors.
After an abnormal result
The GP mainly looks at the history: when and where the symptoms occur. With a positive result and matching symptoms, the advice mainly concerns limiting contact with mold, for example by tackling damp and mold patches in the home and ventilating well. If needed, medication for the nose, eyes or airways follows, and with symptoms that are not controlled this way, referral to an ENT specialist, lung specialist or allergist may follow.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
A positive IgE result shows sensitization, not allergy: it only says that there are antibodies, not that you get symptoms from them. The Dutch medical specialists' guideline (FMS) on upper airway allergy says this literally and recommends choosing a test for single allergens based on the history of the symptoms; the result therefore only means something if it fits when and where you have symptoms. With molds, the result is harder to interpret than with pollen or house dust mite: there are many types of mold and the symptoms are less clearly linked to one season or one place. A positive result without symptoms is not treated.
What can affect the result?
- Sensitization without symptoms is common; the result can only be interpreted together with the history of the symptoms.
- The test only measures Cladosporium herbarum; other molds, such as Alternaria and Aspergillus, are not measured.
- The result says little about the severity of the symptoms; a higher value does not automatically mean more trouble.
- Laboratories use different measurement methods and cut-off values; results from different labs cannot be compared one to one.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
Useful with nose or eye symptoms, coughing or shortness of breath that fit molds: outdoors in summer and late summer, when working with plants, hay or compost, or in a home with damp and mold patches. In people without such symptoms, the test adds nothing: sensitization without symptoms is not a disease and is not treated.
How common is it?
Molds are, alongside pollen, house dust mite and pets, a known cause of allergic nasal symptoms. Mold allergy is less common than allergy to pollen or house dust mite. Sensitization is more common than the allergy itself.
Thuisarts.nl and the FMS guideline on upper airway allergy; no Dutch prevalence figure has been checked
Drawbacks and risks
- A positive result without symptoms can lead to unnecessary worry about mold in the home, while sensitization without symptoms does not need treatment.
- A normal result does not rule out an allergy to other molds.
Get tested
IgE antibodies to Cladosporium: test panels
IgE antibodies to Cladosporium is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Blood draw
Mold allergy Cladosporium (IgE)
Measures IgE antibodies against the mold Cladosporium. For anyone with symptoms in summer and late summer, or in a damp home.
€ 36,00
Blood draw · 4 analyses
Follow-up test mold allergy: 4 molds separately
Measures IgE separately against Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria. Shows why a mold allergy screen was positive.
€ 81,00
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
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