ABSTRACT
Allergy Skin test (AST) is the most common method to determine the sensitization to allergens. AST is a bio assay to determine the presence of specific IgE antibodies on the surface of mast cells. ‘Sensitization’ is an immunologic term; it does not mean the person is ‘allergic’ which indicates the individual is not only sensitized, but also has symptoms on exposure to the allergen. Hence AST determines sensitization and confirms allergy based upon the clinical presentation. AST is a rapid, cost effective, clinically relevant, safe and simple method of detecting allergenic sensitization. There are different types of AST: epicutaneous skin test and intradermal skin test. An alternative to AST for detecting IgE sensitization is an in vitro test. There are three different categories of allergens for AST: inhalants, ingestants and biting or stinging insects. The inhalants are further classified as indoor antigens and outdoor antigens.
