Safety of chitosan bandages in shellfish allergic patients.

Background: In 2005, the Office of the Surgeon General mandated that every soldier carry a HemCon bandage. Made from chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from shrimp shells, this bandage effectively stops bleeding. There are no studies reporting the safety of this bandage in shellfish allergic patients.

Compatibility of imported fire ant whole body extract with cat, ragweed, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and timothy grass allergens.

Background: Recommendations regarding the administration of imported fire ant whole body extract (IFA WBE) combined with aeroallergens or environmental allergens in a single immunotherapy injection are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the degradative effect of IFA WBE on cat, ragweed, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and timothy grass allergens.

Methods: Imported fire ant whole body extract was combined with extracts of cat, ragweed, D pteronyssinus, and timothy grass.

Anaphylaxis from the influenza virus vaccine.

Background: Allergic reactions to the influenza vaccine are uncommon and usually associated with sensitivity to egg or gelatin. The aim of this study was to report the case of anaphylaxis to the influenza vaccine.

Methods: Allergy percutaneous skin testing, serum specific IgE testing and IgE immunoblotting were performed to the influenza vaccine, egg, and gelatin.

Seal and whale meat: two newly recognized food allergies.

Background: Alaska's marine mammals compose a large portion of the diet of indigenous coastal Alaskan people. Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus), inhabitants of the Bering and Beaufort seas along Alaska's western and northern coasts, are 2 of the most important subsistence species, serving as major food sources to the native population.

Objective: To describe an Inupiaq boy with symptoms consistent with an IgE-mediated food allergy after ingestion of bowhead whale and bearded seal meat.

Multicolored Asian lady beetle hypersensitivity: a case series and allergist survey.

Background: Multicolored Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) have been used as a biological control agent against crop-destroying aphids in the United States. Outside their natural habitat, H. axyridis seeks refuge in homes during fall and winter, leading to patient complaints and symptoms of rhinitis, wheezing, and urticaria on exposure to the beetles.

Generalized cutaneous reactions to the anthrax vaccine: preliminary results of anthrax vaccine-specific cell mediated immunity and cytokine profiles.

Over two years, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System reported that 0.042% of all anthrax vaccine (Biothrax, Bioport Corporation) doses administered were associated with cutaneous reactions, half of which were eczematous. This case series attempts to immunologically detail this eczematous reaction in four patients by measuring anthrax vaccine-specific cell mediated immunity (ASCMI), profiling TH1 and TH2 cytokine response to the anthrax vaccine in vitro, and analyzing of skin biopsy specimens.

Effect of imported fire ant extract on the degradation of mountain cedar pollen allergen.

Background: Dust mite, cockroach, and mold extracts have been shown to contain proteases capable of degrading the proteins in other extracts. Loss of potency of allergens has been reported in mixtures containing cockroach and fungal extracts. Fire ant venoms consist of 90% to 95% n-alkyl and n-alkenyl piperidine alkaloids, which are not allergenic.

Cross-reactivity among edible nuts: double immunodiffusion, crossed immunoelectrophoresis, and human specific igE serologic surveys.

Background: As many as one third of all food allergen anaphylactic events are related to tree nut ingestion. Although concurrent allergen sensitivity to tree nuts is common, cross-reactivity among nut antigens is less well defined.

Objective: To survey serologic cross-reactivities among 7 tree nuts (walnut, pecan, hazelnut, cashew, Brazil nut, pistachio, and almond) and peanut.

Identification of allergens in the venom of the common striped scorpion.

Background: The common striped scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, is endemic to the southwestern United States and causes thousands of human stings annually. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to C. vittatus venom have been reported.

Cross-reactivity between allergens in the venom of the common striped scorpion and the imported fire ant.

Background: The common striped scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, and the imported fire ant (IFA) are endemic to the south-central United States. There is evidence of venom-specific IgE in patients experiencing hypersensitivity reactions to scorpion stings. The infrequency of repeated scorpion stings and the presence of immediate reactions to an initial sting suggest prior sensitization.

Cross-reactivity between coconut and hazelnut proteins in a patient with coconut anaphylaxis.

Background: The medical literature reports few cases of severe allergic reactions to coconut. We encountered a patient with anaphylaxis to coconut and oral symptoms to tree nuts.

Objective: To identify cross-reactive antibodies between coconut and other tree nuts.

Cross-reactivity between raw mushroom and molds in a patient with oral allergy syndrome.

Background: Oral allergy syndrome, resulting from a cross-reactivity between raw fruits and vegetables and a number of pollens, is well described. However, it has never been associated with mold spore sensitivity and mushrooms. We evaluated a patient with oral allergy symptoms to raw, but not cooked, mushrooms, who also had positive skin testing to molds.

Occupational asthma in a seafood restaurant worker: cross-reactivity of shrimp and scallops.

Background: The case of a restaurant seafood handler with IgE-mediated occupational asthma and contact urticaria to both shrimp and scallops is presented. Independent hypersensitivity to both seafoods was demonstrated by skin testing, inhalation challenge, and immunoassays. Bronchial challenge with extracts of shrimp and scallops each produced an isolated early asthmatic response.

Cross-reactivity among conifer pollens.

Background: There are increasing reports of Cupressaceae pollinosis from various geographic areas. Cross-reactivity among a limited number of species within the Cupressaceae family has been suggested. Juniperus ashei (mountain cedar) is the leading cause of respiratory allergy in South Texas.

Aeroallergen-specific IgE changes in individuals with rapid human immunodeficiency virus disease progression.

Background: Progression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is associated with elevated total IgE; however, previous cross-sectional studies have differed in their assessment of concurrent changes in allergic disease prevalence.

Objective: Assessment of changes in aeroallergen-specific IgE during progression from early to late HIV disease.

Methods: Total IgE, aeroallergen-specific IgE (rye grass, ragweed, Alternaria, dust mite, and cat), IFN-gamma, IL-4, and soluble CD23 (sCD23) were measured in a longitudinal study of 20 subject who had progressed from early-HIV infection (mean CD4 lymphocyte count of 650/mm3) to AIDS (mean CD4 lymphocyte count of 40/mm3) over an average of 4 years.

Mountain cedar allergens found in nonpollen tree parts.

Background: Mountain cedar (Juniperus ashei) pollen is the principal aeroallergen in south central Texas from late December through February. The major mountain cedar allergen is a 40-kD glycoprotein, gp40.

Objective: To identify allergens in mountain cedar wood, leaves, and berries and to detect mountain cedar allergen in smoke from burning male or female trees.

The effect of immunotherapy on the cutaneous late phase response to antigen.

Background: This study used the skin chamber model to evaluate prospectively the effect of immunotherapy (IT) on the cutaneous early and late phase response (LPR) to epicutaneous antigen challenge.

Methods: Nine subjects with allergic rhinitis were studied at three time points: before starting IT, after 3 months of IT, and after 6 months of IT. Skin chamber histamine content was measured hourly for 12 hours, and cell counts performed hourly during hours 6 to 12.

Cross-allergenicity among celery, cucumber, carrot, and watermelon.

Cross-reactive allergens may be responsible for the clustering of food allergies seen in patients hypersensitive to fruits and vegetables. The pooled sera of six individuals were used to investigate cross-antigenicity among freshly prepared extracts of celery (Cy), cucumber (Cc), carrot (Ct), and watermelon (W). Each patient demonstrated clinical allergy to one or more study foods and, with the exception of Ct in two cases, had IgE to all four extracts by skin test or ELISA.

HLA-DR4-associated nonresponsiveness to mountain-cedar allergen.

We did human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and DQ typing on 37 subjects with mountain-cedar (MC) pollinosis as defined by history and a positive skin test. Of these 37 subjects, 31 were subdivided into 18 subjects with a single positive skin test (SPST) and 13 subjects with multiple positive skin tests (MPSTs). We also typed 51 subjects without MC sensitivity or atopy as defined by history and negative skin tests to a battery of aeroallergens.

Anaphylaxis to annatto dye: a case report.

Annatto dye is an orange-yellow food coloring extracted from the seeds of the tree Bixa orellana. It is commonly used in cheeses, snack foods, beverages, and cereals. Previously reported adverse reactions associated with annatto dye have included urticaria and angioedema.