Division of Allergy and Immunology, Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

INTRODUCTION

Allergy may be defined as an untoward response to a specific antigen mediated by an immunological reaction. It may take different forms. The commonest clinical manifestation of an allergic reaction to moulds is IgE-mediated as represented by symptoms of rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis has both IgG-and cell-mediated features and other fungal conditions have even more complex immunological relationships.