1/6. Occupational asthma due to carrot in a cook.BACKGROUND: Few previous reports of carrot-induced asthma have been confirmed by objective tests. Hypersensitivity to carrot is frequently associated with allergy to apiaceae spices and sensitization to birch and mugwort pollens. CLINICAL CASE: A 40-year-old cook woman was seen with sneezing, rhinorrhea, contact urticaria and wheezing within few minutes of handling or cutting raw carrots. She needed to leave out of the kitchen while the other cooks cut raw carrots. methods AND RESULTS: skin tests were positive to carrot, celery, aniseed and fennel. Rubbing test with fresh carrot was positive. Specific IgE to carrot was 4.44 kU/L. Determinations of specific IgE to mugwort, grass and birch pollens were negative. Inhalative provocation test, performed as a handling test, was positive. The IgE-immunoblotting showed two bands in carrot extract: a band with apparent molecular weight of 30 kd and other band of 18 kd. This band of 18 kd was Dau c 1. The band of 30 kd could correspond a phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase. Dau c 1 did not appear to be the unique allergen in this case. Additional allergens may induce the sensitization. Primary sensitization due to airborne allergens of foods and the lack of pollen allergy in this patient are notorious events.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = grass (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. role of Dau c 1 in three different patterns of carrot-induced asthma.OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of Dau c 1 in three patients with carrot induced asthma. MATERIAL AND methods: Patient 1 had asthma when handling raw carrots. Sensitization to pollens wasn't detected. Patient 2 had rhinoconjunctivitis due to grass and olive pollen allergy. She had asthma when handling raw carrots. Patient 3 was diagnosed of rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma due to allergic sensitization to mites, several pollens and cat. She had asthma due to raw carrot ingestion and inhalation. IgE immunobot analysis and ELISA inhibition assay were used to investigate the allergens and specific antibodies. RESULTS: IgE Immunoblot Analysis: Dau c 1 from carrot extract and the recombinant rDau c 1 were recognized by IgE from patients 1 and 2. Band of Bet v 1 in birch pollen extract wasn't recognized. Patient 3 didn't recognize any of these allergens. Specific IgE to rDau c 1 was measured by ELISA. Specific IgE ELISA-inhibition with carrot as solid phase showed an intermediate inhibition (30 %) between carrot and rDau c 1 in patient 1; and a considerable inhibition (nearly 100 %) between carrot and rDau c 1 in patient 2. No inhibition was found in patient 3. Specific IgE ELISA inhibition between rDau c 1 and rBet v 1, employing rDau c 1 as solid phase was made in patients 1 and 2. Bet v 1 showed less than 40 % of inhibition of rDau c 1 in patient 1; and an intermediate inhibition (> 40 %) between rBet v 1 and rDau c 1 in patient 2. CONCLUSIONS: Airborne carrot allergens are able to sensitize without the implication of a previous pollen allergy. Dau c 1 was the main allergen in patient 2. In patient 1, there was a band of 30 kd that looks like the predominant allergen. patients 1 and 2 were sensitized directly from carrot allergens. In patient 3, Dau c 1 isn't related to the carrot allergy. Allergy to carrot in patient 3 seems to be related to her allergy to different pollens; however, it wasn't related to birch pollen. Mediterranean countries didn't show the same patterns of food-related pollen allergy than Nordic countries.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = grass (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. urticaria successfully treated by desensitization with grass pollen extract.We report a case of severe incapacitating seasonal urticaria and angioedema in an 11-year-old boy due to grass pollen sensitivity, who responded well to desensitization therapy with Timothy grass pollen extract.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6keywords = grass (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. Development of pollinosis after ingestion of pollen.We describe the case of a patient who developed distinct allergic reactions after the ingestion of commercially available "pollen food", while according to the history there had been no previous complaints to aero-pollen. By both in vivo as well as in vitro testing a simultaneous sensitivity to grass, tree and weed pollen, as well as to the main components of "pollen food" rock rose and viper buglows pollen could be proven. With the help of RAST-inhibition, cross-reactions between the different pollen allergens were traceable. In the pollen season after the allergic incident, the patient developed pollinosis symptoms for the first time, which intensified in the following season. On these grounds, we believe that (1) the repeated ingestion of "pollen food" resulted in a sensitization against its allergens and, due to the cross-reactions, against aero pollen allergens as well and that (2) an "allergic breakthrough" caused the manifestation of pollinosis symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = grass (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. exercise-induced anaphylactic reaction to hazelnut.Reproducible, exercise-induced anaphylactic reactions occur in some patients only after certain foods have been eaten before exercise. We describe a patient in whom hazelnuts were a triggering factor for exercise-induced anaphylaxis. skin tests and RAST were positive for nuts and grass and weed pollen. The exercise challenge test after hazelnut ingestion was positive. food hypersensitivity should be investigated in all cases of exercise-induced anaphylaxis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = grass (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. Inhalant atopic sensitivity to grasshoppers in research laboratories.BACKGROUND: Atopic sensitivity to insects, in both occupational and nonoccupational settings, is common. methods: A 26-year-old man with atopic asthma experienced worsened asthma and urticaria on exposure to grasshoppers in a research laboratory; he along with 16 other persons who work with grasshoppers from two laboratories and 26 control subjects were studied. The patient underwent a controlled allergen inhalation test with aqueous grasshopper dropping antigen. All subjects were assessed by means of a questionnaire. All but one (who refused because of severe skin reactions after contact with grasshoppers) had skin prick tests with three extracts of grasshopper and with grass pollen, cat dander, and dermatophagoides farinae. RESULTS: The allergen challenge was positive with an isolated early asthmatic response (23% fall forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1]) at 1:4096 (approximately 25 micrograms/ml), and a borderline fall in provocative concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV1. Seven of 16 (43.8%) workers had positive grasshopper skin test results compared with one of 26 (3.8%) control subjects (p = 0.0052). Sensitization occurred even in otherwise nonatopic workers (5 of 12). Symptoms of asthma on exposure (n = 4) correlated better with positive skin test results than did cutaneous symptoms (n = 8). CONCLUSION: Atopic sensitization to grasshoppers in research laboratories is a significant occupational health problem.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 12keywords = grass (Clic here for more details about this article) |