Allergy and intolerance
IgE antilichamen Cladosporium
Antibodies against the mold Cladosporium; shows whether the immune system is sensitive to this mold, not whether it bothers you.
Everything about this testWhat it measures
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.
- 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
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.
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.
If your result is abnormal
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
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.
Limitations
- 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.
How common is this
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.
Who is this 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.
Downsides 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.
Sources
Always discuss an abnormal result with your GP. If a result is strongly abnormal, we try to reach you as soon as possible. Read your result yourself as well and contact your GP if in doubt. A test does not make a diagnosis. Read more about risks and results