25 http://www.revistaalergia.mx Rev Alerg Mex. 2018;65(1):25-40 Artículo Original é e r g ia M Revista Al xi c o Colegio Mexicano de Inmunología Clínica A.C. Artículo original Allergen extracts for immunotherapy in Latin America Extractos alergénicos para inmunoterapia en Latinoamérica Ricardo Cardona, 1 Andrés Sánchez, 2,3,4 Désirée Larenas-Linnemann, 5 Edgardo Járes, 6 Jorge Sánchez 1,2,3 1 Universidad de Antioquia, Servicio Alergología Clínica. Grupo de Alergología Clínica y Experimental, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia 2 Universidad de Cartagena, Instituto para la investigación inmuno- lógica, Grupo de Inmunogenética y Alergia Experimental, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia 3 Fundación para el Desarrollo de las Ciencias Médicas y Biológicas, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia 4 Corporación Universitaria Rafael Núñez, Departamento de Inmu- nología, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia 5 Hospital Médica Sur, Ciudad de México, México 6 Fundación LIBRA, Buenos Aires, Argentina Correspondencia: Ricardo Cardona. rcv2016udea@gmail.com Recibido: 2017-06-20 Aceptado: 2018-01-16 DOI: 10.29262/ram.v0i0.287 Este artículo debe citarse como: Cardona R, Sánchez A, Larenas-Linnemann D, Járes E, Sánchez J. Extractos alergénicos para inmunoterapia en Latinoamérica. Rev Alerg Mex. 2018;65(1):25-40 ORCID Ricardo Cardona, 0000-0002-7428-2413; Andrés Sánchez, 0000-0001-7460-3427; Désirée Larenas-Linnemann, 0000-0002-5713-5331; Edgardo Járes, 0000-0001-9411-0582; Jorge Sánchez, 0000-0001-6341-783X Abstract Background: The Latin American Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (SLAAI) presents a document about the use of immunotherapy (IT) in Latin America, where administration patterns, indications and contraindications, effects on health, adverse events and socioeconomic impact are reviewed. Objective: To review publications analyzing the use of IT in Latin America. Methods: A literature review was carried out in order to identify works addressing IT in Latin America. This review was focused on practical scientific information available on IT in the region, and a parallel comparison was made with practices observed in the United States and European countries. Results: Of the 21 Latin American countries included, only 9 had original articles meeting the selection criteria; a total of 82 articles were selected, most of them from Brazil and Mexico. Most widely used allergenic extracts in Latin America tropical and subtropical regions were those of mites and pollen. Conclusion: Although it is true that there are huge challenges for the future of IT in Latin America, studies on subcutaneous IT and sublingual IT are increasing, but most of them are retrospective and some have design bias, and more prospective studies are therefore required, using internationally validated scales for clinical evaluation. Keywords: Extracts; Allergen; Immunotherapy; Subcutaneous; Sublingual