1/8. tobacco allergy: demonstration of cross-reactivity with other members of solanaceae family and mugwort pollen.BACKGROUND: tobacco is a plant belonging to the solanaceae family. This plant is usually used as a contact insecticide for several infestations in some areas, such as the Canary islands. Allergy induced by inhalation of this plant is unusual. Identification of the potential allergen in growing areas is essential. OBJECTIVE: We report a patient with occupational sensitivity to an aqueous solution of cut tobacco whose clinical manifestations were rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria. Past medical history was significant for seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis to mugwort pollen and oral allergy syndrome with avocado. methods: Green tobacco and cured tobacco leaf extracts were prepared, skin prick tests were performed with green tobacco, cured tobacco leaf extracts, and certain aeroallergens. Conjunctival challenge test was carried out with green tobacco and cured tobacco leaf extract. serum-specific IgE against tobacco leaf was performed by commercial CAP. CAP inhibition experiments were carried out with tobacco and artemisia vulgaris. RESULTS: Skin prick tests and conjunctival challenge tests with green tobacco and cured tobacco leaf extracts were positive, as well as serum-specific IgE by CAP, indicating an IgE-mediated sensitization. CAP inhibition experiments were carried out and it was found that tobacco, mugwort pollen, and tomato extracts inhibited the binding of the patient's serum to solid-phase tobacco leaf. No inhibition was observed when alternaria, D. pteronyssinus, and potato were used as control inhibitors. Inhibition of immunoCAP to mugwort was obtained with mugwort and tobacco extracts and no cross-reactivity to D. pteronyssinus was shown. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that tobacco can induce IgE-mediated reactions that are mediated by the existence of common antigenic epitopes between tobacco and mugwort pollen. This allergy can be a hazard of employment in the agricultural areas.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/8. Cross-reactivity between raw mushroom and molds in a patient with oral allergy syndrome.BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome, resulting from a cross-reactivity between raw fruits and vegetables and a number of pollens, is well described. However, it has never been associated with mold spore sensitivity and mushrooms. We evaluated a patient with oral allergy symptoms to raw, but not cooked, mushrooms, who also had positive skin testing to molds. OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterize antigenic cross-reactivity between mushroom and mold spores. methods: The patient underwent skin prick testing to molds and mushroom. Proteins from raw and cooked mushrooms were extracted and immunoblot/inhibition assays were performed to evaluate for cross-reacting immunoglobulin e antibodies between mushroom and mold extracts to which the patient was sensitive. RESULTS: The patient had a positive skin prick test result to raw mushroom and four types of molds. The immunoblot assay revealed immunoglobulin e antibodies directed against similar molecular weight proteins in the raw mushroom and 3 of the 4 molds: alternaria tenuis, fusarium vasinfectum, and Hormodendrum cladosporioides. These protein bands on protein electrophoresis were absent in the cooked mushrooms. Inhibition immunoblot of the raw mushroom with the three molds indicated total inhibition of the 43- and 67-kD protein bands. CONCLUSIONS: We report the first case of cross-reactivity between mushroom and molds in a patient with oral allergy syndrome to raw mushroom and allergic rhinitis secondary to molds.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/8. Non-occupational allergy caused by the pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa).Contact with the pine processionary caterpillar induces dermatitis, usually located in exposed areas, and, less frequently, ocular lesions through a toxic-irritative mechanism. Recently, the existence of an immediate hypersensitivity mechanism has been demonstrated, mainly in occupationally exposed patients. OBJECTIVE: To present four patients who experienced allergic reactions (urticaria-angioedema and rhinitis-asthma) after non-occupational exposure to pine processionary caterpillar. patients AND methods: The four patients underwent allergy testing through skin prick tests (SPT), specific IgE detection and SDS-PAGE immunoblotting. One patient also underwent a specific bronchial challenge test with the pine processionary antigen. RESULTS: In all patients, both SPT with the caterpillar extract and specific IgE were positive. Western blotting showed several IgE-binding bands with molecular mass values ranging from 18 to 107 kDa. A shift in the electrophoretic mobility of some of the relevant allergens occurred under the presence of a reductive agent (beta -mercaptoethanol). The specific bronchial challenge test with pine processionary antigen performed in one of the patients also produced positive results. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show an immunologic IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity mechanism in these reactions. The processionary caterpillar's airborne urticating hairs or spicules should be considered, at least in some locations, not only as contact and occupational allergens, but also as seasonal aeroallergens.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/8. plantago lanceolata (English plantain) pollinosis in japan.OBJECTIVE: The objective was to ascertain the prevalence of plantago lanceolata (English plantain) pollinosis in japan. methods: A total of 160 patients with allergic rhinitis were examined at the Hokkaido University Hospital otolaryngology Clinic between January 2002 and December 2003. We investigated the frequency of P. lanceolata antigen-specific immunoglobulin e (IgE) antibody-positive serum using the radioallergosorbent test (RAST), the P. lanceolata pollen counts in the Sapporo area and the clinical symptoms of patients with allergic rhinitis caused by this pollen. RESULTS: P. lanceolata pollen was dispersed throughout the Sapporo area from mid-May to early September, peaking in the latter half of May. The airborne pollen count showed little variation between years. The P. lanceolata RAST-positive rate was 12.8%, which was close to those for ragweed and sagebrush. All subjects showed overlapping antigen sensitization, that is, none displayed sensitization (by RAST) exclusively to P. lanceolata. The onset of subjective symptoms peaked in June and the symptoms worsened from April to October. CONCLUSION: P. lanceolata was dispersed over a long period, from mid-May to early September. The P. lanceolata RAST-positive rate (12.8%) was similar to those for sagebrush and ragweed, which are dispersed during the fall. These results suggest that P. lanceolata is an important causative agent of pollinosis in japan.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/8. hypersensitivity pneumonitis concomitant with acute airway obstruction after exposure to hay dust.The case of a non-atopic farmer who had developed severe respiratory as well as systemic symptoms upon exposure to hay dust during the past several years is presented. inhalation challenge by his own hay induced an unusual association of peripheral and central airway obstruction beginning immediately, and hardly susceptible to therapeutic control, as well as the typical hypersensitivity pneumonitis reaction several hours later. By means of double immunodiffusion it was possible to demonstrate serum precipitins to antigenic components in this hay, which could be predominantly identified as antigens of several Aspergillus species. By means of the more sensitive crossed immunoelectrophoresis technique ten relevant antigens of Aspergillus terreus and four of aspergillus fumigatus were demonstrable. Only minimal aspergillus-specific IgE antibodies were found in the patient's serum. This case demonstrates that hay dust can cause bronchial obstruction as well as hypersensitivity pneumonitis in the same individual, with symptoms beginning immediately and lasting up to 2 days.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/8. Allergic rhinitis to thuja pollen.Allergy to pollen of cupressaceae has been linked to pollens of cupressus, Juniper and cryptomeria. The authors report 2 cases of rhinitis and conjunctivitis induced by thuja, another member of the cupressaceae family. Monosensitization to thuja pollen has been identified as the causal agent: (1) of a long-standing springtime rhinitis in 1 patient with negative skin tests and specific IgE titers to the main inhalants (specificity of the prick test and nasal provocation with the thuja extract was confirmed by a positive RAST) and (2) in a 2nd patient without former history of allergy, who consulted for conjunctivitis following acquisition of a dog; the standard battery of skin tests, and Phadiotop were all negative. After controls, only the thuja extract gave significant skin test response. The level of total IgE was low, and RAST was negative. Sensitization and pollen provocation were produced by the intermediary of the dog, carrying thuja pollens on its fur. The immunoprint and the crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis revealed common antigenicity between cypress and thuja extracts.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/8. Onset of Graves' thyrotoxicosis after an attack of allergic rhinitis.We previously reported that allergic rhinitis was an aggravating factor for Graves' disease and that thyrotoxicosis relapsed 2 months after an allergic attack. In this paper, we report a patient who showed onset of Graves' thyrotoxicosis after an attack of allergic rhinitis. The patient, a 30-year-old woman, was initially diagnosed with subclinical autoimmune thyroiditis. Interestingly, the patient showed weak activity of thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb), while TSH-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII) was negative and her thyroid function tests, including TSH, were completely normal. The patient developed severe allergic rhinitis in response to Japanese cedar pollen lasting from February until April in 1995 with an increase in serum antigen-specific immunoglobulin e and peripheral blood eosinophils. Two months later, she developed thyrotoxicosis in association with increase in TSAb and TBII. These findings suggest that allergic rhinitis not only aggravates Graves' disease but also induces the clinical onset of Graves' thyrotoxicosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/8. Inhalant allergy to egg yolk and egg white proteins.BACKGROUND: Several egg white and egg yolk and avian proteins have been described as a cause of inhalant allergy. Sometimes inhalational type I hypersensitivity to these proteins is associated with food allergy to egg. OBJECTIVE: We studied two patients who experienced respiratory and food allergic symptoms upon exposure to egg or avian antigens through the inhalative or digestive routes. Clinical and immunological studies were carried out in order to identify individual allergens from these sources that could be responsible for crossreactivity reactions. RESULTS: Patient 1 showed IgE sensitization to egg yolk livetins, feathers, and chicken serum. Specific bronchial challenge with chicken albumin and livetin extracts elicited a positive early asthmatic response and an increase in serum eosinophil cationic protein. Immunoblot and CAP-inhibition studies in this patient supported that chicken albumin (alpha-livetin) was the crossreactive antigen present in egg yolk and chicken serum and feathers. Patient 2 showed sensitization to egg white, ovomucoid and lysozyme. However, SDS-PAGE and immunoblot studies demonstrated contaminating lysozyme in the ovomucoid extract and identified lysozyme as the main allergen causing egg sensitization in this patient. Conjunctival challenge test confirmed allergy to lysozyme. CONCLUSION: egg yolk and egg white proteins may act not only as ingested allergens but also as aeroallergens. Immunological studies using highly purified preparations of egg proteins are useful for the accurate diagnosis of allergic reactions to egg proteins and to identify individual allergens that may be responsible for crossreactivity reactions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = antigen (Clic here for more details about this article) |