The allergic march in pollinosis: natural history and therapeutic implications.

Background: That specific immunotherapy (SIT) can slow the march of allergy has been confirmed in controlled clinical trials. However, an assessment of its effects in everyday life, in a large cohort of patients, might provide further useful information.

Methods: This observational study comprised 3,643 patients allergic to pollens; 1,620 with pure allergic rhinitis or rhinitis and intermittent or mild-persistent bronchial asthma, responding poorly to standard pharmacological therapy (SPT), were treated for 3 years with SPT alone (pure rhinitis, n = 890), or combined with continuous SIT (rhinitis and asthma, n = 730).

Allergy to pigeon tick (Argas reflexus): demonstration of specific IgE-binding components.

Background: The European tick, Argas reflexus, is an urban pest parasitizing urban pigeons and may cause a wide range of allergic reactions.

Methods: Specific IgE to A. reflexus, SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblotting, performed with tick extract, were carried out in the sera of 6 patients who reported allergic reactions after tick bite.