Chloramine-induced anaphylaxis while showering: a case report.

Introduction: Sodium-N-chlorine-p-toluene sulfonamide, commonly known as chloramine-T, is a derivative of chlorine which is widely used as a disinfectant. For many years, chloramine-T has been described as a cause of immediate-type hypersensitivity, especially with regard to asthma and rhinitis, and as a cause of occupational dermatoses in cleaning personnel in hospitals, although no anaphylactic reaction has yet been reported. Hence, to the best of our knowledge we present the first case of anaphylaxis to chloramine-T with evidence of specific immunoglobulin E antibodies.

Molecular cloning and characterization of Cup a 4, a new allergen from Cupressus arizonica.

Sensitization to Cupressaceae pollen has become one of the most important causes of pollinosis in Western countries during winter and early spring. However, the characterization of the extracts, the allergens involved and the cross-reactivity with other pollen sources still remain poorly studied; in the case of Cupressus arizonica only two allergens have been described so far. A new allergen from C.

Detection of a novel 20 kDa shrimp allergen showing cross-reactivity to house dust mites.

Background: Allergy to crustacean shellfish is one of the most common IgE-mediated food allergies, and tropomyosin has been identified as the major allergen. However, not all subjects affected by this allergy are IgE-positive to tropomyosin.

Aims: To evaluate whether sera of patients with shrimp allergy but negative for tropomyosin react to other allergen(s); and to evaluate the role such allergen(s) may play in cross-reactivity between crustaceans and house dust mites (HDMs).

Clinical and immunological correlates of pre-co-seasonal sublingual immunotherapy with birch monomeric allergoid in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.

Sublingual immunotherapy is safe and efficacious in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis. The clinical and biological efficacy of modified allergens (allergoids) has not been fully clarified. We investigated in birch allergic patients the effect of a pre-co-seasonal sublingual immunotherapy regimen with a modified allergen extract on clinical parameters and on T cell proliferation and regulatory cytokine production (IL-10, TGF-beta).

Detection of a novel allergen in raw tomato.

The study reports a case of "pure" tomato allergy in an adult female. The responsible allergen was partially characterized by immunoblot analysis, pepsin digestion, and heating. It had a molecular weight of about 9 kDa and was heat-labile and pepsin-resistant, thus confirming the clinical history.

Respiratory allergy to lipid transfer protein.

Background: Due to unclear reasons, allergy to lipid transfer protein (LTP) is frequent in Mediterranean countries but rare in Northern Europe.

Objective: We report a paradigmatic case of primarily airborne sensitization to LTP that might explain the geographical distribution of this type of food allergy.

Methods: A 21-year-old woman began having severe perennial rhinitis 6 months after she started working in a wholesale fruit storehouse in Southern Italy where large amounts of fruits, including peaches, were handled; symptoms subsided when she left the workplace for >5 days and relapsed as soon as she was back at work.

Effect of sublingual immunotherapy with grass monomeric allergoid on allergen-specific T-cell proliferation and interleukin 10 production.

Background: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is safe and efficacious in the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis. Although favorable clinical effects have been observed with controlled trials as early as a few months since the beginning of treatment, few biological changes induced by SLIT have been demonstrated.

Objective: To investigate in grass-allergic patients the effect of a 2-month SLIT regimen, administered with a simplified protocol without up-dosing, on proliferation and production of cytokines characteristic of the regulatory T-cell phenotype (interleukin 10 [IL-10] and transforming growth factor beta [TGF-beta]) by allergen-specific T cells.

Respiratory and skin allergy to Galleria mellonella (bee moth).

This case report describes a patient with bee moth-induced rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma and contact urticaria. Immunoblot analysis showed IgE reactivity to two distinct bee moth proteins at 23 and 70 kDa, respectively. ELISA inhibition studies excluded cross-reactivity to the other popular live bait, fly larva.

Date palm pollen allergoid: characterization of its chemical-physical and immunological properties.

Background: Date palm (DP) pollen can cause allergic symptoms in people living in different countries. Specific immunotherapy with allergenic extracts by subcutaneous route is effective to cure allergic people. However, the risk of side effects has led to explore safer therapeutic modalities.

Diagnostic value of three different latex extracts.

The diagnosis of latex allergy is made on clinical history, but a confirmatory skin prick test (SPT) or a serological assay based on a commercial latex extract is always recommendable. Different raw materials can be used in the preparation of commercial latex extracts. Such extracts can consequently show both different qualitative profiles and a different diagnostic potential.

Detection of some safe plant-derived foods for LTP-allergic patients.

Background: Lipid transfer protein (LTP) is a widely cross-reacting plant pan-allergen. Adverse reactions to Rosaceae, tree nuts, peanut, beer, maize, mustard, asparagus, grapes, mulberry, cabbage, dates, orange, fig, kiwi, lupine, fennel, celery, tomato, eggplant, lettuce, chestnut and pineapple have been recorded.

Objective: To detect vegetable foods to be regarded as safe for LTP-allergic patients.

PT with heat-processed apple peel extract to detect LTP hypersensitivity.

Background: Allergen-resolved diagnosis of food allergy may be essential in the clinical practice, particularly in patients allergic to foods that may contain both labile and stable allergens. However, presently available diagnostic tests are not useful in this sense.

Objective: To assess the clinical usefulness of SPT with a heat-processed apple peel extract as an easily available means to detect hypersensitivity to lipid transfer protein (LTP), an extremely stable and potentially hazardous apple allergen.

Peach fuzz contains large amounts of lipid transfer protein: is this the cause of the high prevalence of sensitization to LTP in Mediterranean countries?

Background: Allergy to lipid transfer protein (LTP) is quite common in the Mediterranean countries but virtually absent in Northern Europe. The reasons for this latitude-dependent distribution are unclear. One hypothesis is that peach, the primary sensitizer to LTP, may lose in part its allergenicity as a consequence of treatments (handling, brushing, washing, and packaging) preceding marketing in Northern European.

Cross-reactivity between IgE-binding proteins from Anisakis simplex and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.

An association was found between Anisakis simplex (As) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) sensitization. One recent study shows a cross-reactivity between As and Dp and tropomyosin (tr)is suspected as being one of the proteins responsible of this cross-reaction. The aim of our study was: 1) to confirm the cross-reactivity between Dp and As; 2) to determine the importance of tr in this cross reaction.

Why do lipid transfer protein-hypersensitive patients tolerate bean (and other legumes)?

Background: Patients allergic to nonspecific lipid transfer protein (LTP) frequently score positive on SPT with legumes but virtually never report adverse reactions eating these foods.

Objective: This study investigated the IgE reactivity to legumes of LTP-allergic patients and aimed to establish whether legumes can be considered safe in LTP-allergic patients.

Methods: Skin reactivity as well as clinical allergy to bean and pea were evaluated in a large cohort of LTP-hypersensitive patients.

Airborne allergy to sunflower seed.

Background: There is increasing evidence that bird fanciers may develop airborne allergies to unusual allergens.

Objective: To detect the allergen source in a bird fancier with a history of asthma associated with bird cage cleaning activities and with contact with a Brazil parrot.

Methods: SPT with a large series of both airborne and food allergens were carried out.

Bee moth (Galleria mellonella) allergic reactions are caused by several thermolabile antigens.

Background: Exposure and contact with bee moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae (Gm) can cause an allergic reaction both in anglers and breeders. We described the case of an amateur fisherman who experienced an allergic reaction using Gm but not using heat-treated Gm (h-Gm) (mummies). The aim of this study was to demonstrate by immunoblotting and radioallergosorbent test (RAST)-inhibition experiments the loss of allergenic epitopes in h-Gm extracts.

Relationship between peach lipid transfer protein specific IgE levels and hypersensitivity to non-Rosaceae vegetable foods in patients allergic to lipid transfer protein.

Background: Lipid transfer protein (LTP), the major allergen in Rosaceae in geographic areas where the prevalence of birch pollen allergy is low, is a widely cross-reacting pan-allergen, but the pattern of cross-reactivity to plant-derived foods botanically unrelated to Rosaceae shows much variability.

Objective: To examine the relationship between peach LTP specific IgE levels and cross-reactivity to several non-Rosaceae, plant-derived foods.

Methods: IgE specific for peach LTP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum samples from 40 patients with Rosaceae allergy monosensitized to LTP.

Parietaria profilin shows only limited cross-reactivity with birch and grass profilins.

Background: In patients showing multiple reactivity to seasonal airborne allergens, a skin prick test (SPT) with Parietaria pollen scores frequently negative, suggesting that profilin from Parietaria might not share IgE-binding epitopes with profilin from botanically unrelated airborne allergens. This study investigated the immunologic cross-reactivity between profilins from Parietaria, grass and birch pollen.

Methods: 36 patients hypersensitive to birch profilin, Bet v 2, underwent SPT with Parietaria, and IgE to both whole Parietaria pollen and Phleum profilin were sought in their sera by ELISA.