Abstract
Background:
In recent decades, the prevalence of allergic diseases has increased globally with both food and inhalant allergens contributing substantially to the burden of allergic diseases. Despite this increasing burden, data on allergen sensitization patterns in Libya are limited.

Aim:
This study aimed to determine the patterns of food and inhalant allergen sensitization according to age and sex among patients undergoing serum allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) testing in Tripoli, Libya.

Methods:
This retrospective study included 565 patients who underwent serum sIgE testing at Al-Sharq and Adam Laboratories in Tripoli, Libya. The samples were originally collected between January 2023 and May 2025. Serum sIgE levels were measured against 30 common food and inhalant allergens using the MEDIWISS immunoassay system. Sensitization was defined as an sIgE concentration of ≥ 0.35 IU/mL Data were analyzed according to age, sex, and allergen category. Differences in sensitization rates between sexes and among age groups were assessed using the chi-square test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results:
Of the 565 patients tested, 486 (86.0%) were sensitized to at least one allergen. Among the 2,086 positive allergen-specific IgE results, 65.0% were for inhalant allergens and 35.0% were for food allergens. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (32.7%) was the most common inhalant sensitization, followed by mixed grasses (29.8%) and D. farinae (26.1%), while milk was the most common food allergen sensitization, detected in 34.4% of sensitized patients. Children showed significantly higher sensitization rates to milk and camel hair than adults and older participants, whereas adults showed significantly higher sensitization rates to cockroach and olive pollen. Males showed significantly higher sensitization rates for several food and inhalant allergens.

Conclusion:
Inhalant allergen sensitization was more common than food allergen sensitization among patients undergoing sIgE testing in Tripoli, Libya. Distinct age- and sex-related differences were observed, with milk and camel hair sensitization being more common among children and cockroach and olive pollen sensitization more common among adults. These findings provide baseline information on local allergen sensitization patterns and may support future clinical and epidemiological investigations in Libya.

Key words: Allergen sensitization; Food and inhalant allergens; House dust mites; Libya; Serum-specific IgE.