Oxidative activity of ammonium persulfate salt on mast cells and basophils: implication in hairdressers' asthma.

Background: Persulfate salts are components of bleaching powders widely used by hairdressers during hair-bleaching procedures. Hairdressers are at high risk for occupational asthma and rhinitis, and ammonium persulfate is the main etiologic agent.

Objective: To explore the effects of ammonium persulfate on human albumin, mast cells, and basophils in order to evaluate a possible effect of ammonium persulfate oxidizing activity in the mechanism of ammonium persulfate-induced occupational asthma.

Affinity purification of egg-white allergens for improved component-resolved diagnostics.

Background: Egg is a common cause of food-allergic reactions, especially among young children. Some egg-allergic patients do, however, tolerate heated egg products and component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) may facilitate prediction of different disease manifestations. Commercially available preparations of the egg-white allergens, ovomucoid, ovalbumin, conalbumin and lysozyme, have been reported to contain impurities which interfere with accurate CRD.

Xolair is effective in allergics with a low serum IgE level.

Background: Two atopic patients suffering from severe allergy difficult to handle by conventional medication were given Xolair despite an IgE level <30 kU/l.

Methods: Increasing dosages were given and monitored by clinical evaluation and CD-sens to clinically relevant allergens. The patients' IgE antibody fractions were 11-14%.

Anaphylaxis to Patent Blue V. II. A unique IgE-mediated reaction.

Background: Patent Blue V (PBV) is injected in order to map sentinel nodes during cancer staging procedures. Anaphylactic reactions, allegedly IgE antibody mediated, have been reported. The aim of the study was to explore the immunological mechanism of anaphylaxis to PBV.