ABSTRACT
IgE-RAST with bee and wasp venom was performed on 200 persons without any allergic history. Specific IgE antibodies against bee and/or wasp venom were found in 55 persons (27, 5%); in 14 persons of these against bee, in 29 against wasp and in 12 against bee and wasp venom. Specific IgG antibodies were only found in 16, 4% of the silently sensitizated persons. Therefore, the lack of symptoms in the remainder of this group cannot be explained by the presence of blocking IgG antibodies.
Subject(s)
Bee Venoms/immunology , Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Wasp Venoms/immunology , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin E/analysis , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Male , Radioallergosorbent TestABSTRACT
225 patients with hazel pollen allergy were examined by means of cutaneous tests and RAST. In the scratch test, 92% of the patients revealed a sensitization to hazelnuts; clinically manifest or latent, only detectable by skin tests and RAST. A significant incidence of the manifest hazelnuts allergy can be seen only in patients with a polyvalent sensitization and in patients, whose complaints of pollinosis start in the flowery of hazel, i.e. February/March, and who are very strongly sensitive to hazel pollen. The results of our study indicate, that an antigenic relationship between hazel pollen and hazel-nuts exists. Very frequently we found an additional allergy to the botanically related pollen of white beech, alder, birch, beech and oak and an allergy to several fruits and vegetables.
Subject(s)
Food Hypersensitivity/immunology , Hypersensitivity/immunology , Nuts/adverse effects , Pollen , Fruit/adverse effects , Humans , Radioallergosorbent Test , Skin Tests , Vegetables/adverse effectsABSTRACT
Specific IgE-fractions can be determined in the blood serum by Radio-Allergo-Sorbent-Test (RAST). The positive tests are arranged into four groups, the so called RAST-classes, of which class 1 represents the lowest, class 4 the highest content of specific IgE. The diagnostical value of equal RAST-classes among the groups of allergens is different. We examined 13 600 allergens in 700 patients by RAST and found 2441 positive reactions. It turned out that especially in weeds, house dust and mould allergy, the lower RAST-classes are predominant with more than 90 per cent. In grass pollen allergy, a comparable percentage of positive tests accumulates in the range of RAST-class 3. From this distribution of positive tests we concluded, that in house dust, mould and weeds pollen allergy RAST-class 1 has a real diagnostical value and can be the basis of therapeutical consequences. In patients with lower RAST-classes in mould, house dust and weed pollen allergy, in our experience, the average total IgE is already in a pathological range; in patients with grass pollen allergy total IgE is increased pathologically almost until RAST-class 4.
