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.

Cat IgA, representative of new carbohydrate cross-reactive allergens.

Background: Allergens from cat are among the most potent elicitors of allergic disease. Four cat allergens have been identified; however, evidence indicates the existence of additional allergens.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated IgE sensitization to IgA from cat.