Food allergy in Catalonia: Clinical manifestations and its association with airborne allergens.

Background: Food allergy affects around 6% of the European population and its prevalence worldwide has been increasing in the last decades, but studies focused on investigating food allergy epidemiology in Europe are lacking.

Objective: The Cibus project was created to register the main culprit foods and their clinical manifestations in food allergic patients in Catalonia.

Methods: A specific online database was designed.

Swimming pool contact dermatitis caused by 1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin.

Background: Bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin (BCDMH) is a chemical used as a disinfectant for recreational water. BCDMH was described as being responsible for an epidemic of irritant contact dermatitis in the UK (1983), and its sensitizing capacity was also discussed.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess whether BCDMH used to disinfect swimming pools and spas can cause allergic contact dermatitis among its users.

Kounis syndrome: report of 5 cases.

Kounis syndrome has been defined as an acute coronary syndrome that manifests as unstable vasospastic or nonvasospastic angina, and even as acute myocardial infarction. It is triggered by the release of inflammatory mediators following an allergic insult. We report 5 patients attended at our hospital between January 2005 and May 2008 who were diagnosed with unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction-according to analytical parameters, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and/or coronary angiography--in the context of an anaphylactic episode.

[Soybean hull unloading in Tarragona (Spain) and asthma outbreak risk].

Objectives: From 2007 to 2008, 215,000 tons of soybean hull were unloaded in the Port of Tarragona. Soybean hull was identified as the etiologic agent causing bronchial asthma outbreaks. The aim of the present study was to identify the characteristics of soybean unloading, soybean allergen dispersion, and the population risk.