Debunking the Myth of Wool Allergy: Reviewing the Evidence for Immune and Non-immune Cutaneous Reactions.

Although wool is commonly believed to cause irritant (non-immune) and hypersensitivity (immune) cutaneous reactions, the evidence basis for this belief and its validity for modern garments have not been critically examined. Publications from the last 100 years, using MEDLINE and Google Scholar, were analysed for evidence that wool causes cutaneous reactions, both immune-mediated (atopic dermatitis exacerbation, contact urticaria, allergic contact dermatitis) and non-immune-mediated (irritant contact dermatitis, itch). Secondary aims of this paper were to examine evidence that lanolin and textile-processing additives (formaldehyde, chromium) cause cutaneous reactions in the context of modern wool-processing techniques. Current evidence does not suggest that wool-fibre is a cutaneous allergen. Furthermore, contact allergy from lanolin, chromium and formaldehyde is highly unlikely with modern wool garments. Cutaneous irritation from wool relates to high fibre diameters (≥ 30-32 µm). Superfine and ultrafine Merino wool do not activate sufficient c-fibres to cause itch, are well tolerated and may benefit eczema management.

Effects of a 17q21 chromosome gene variant, tobacco smoke and furred pets on infant wheeze.

The first common genetic factor identified for pediatric asthma by genome-wide association is the chromosome 17q21 locus, harbouring the ORMDL3 gene. ORMDL3 is involved in facilitation of endoplasmic reticulum-mediated inflammatory responses, believed to underlie its asthma association. We investigated associations between the rs7216389 polymorphism in the 17q21 locus affecting ORMDL3 expression and the risk for recurrent wheeze and interactions with exposure to tobacco smoke and furred pets during pregnancy and infancy using a birth cohort of 101,042 infants. Rs7216389 was significantly associated with recurrent wheeze risk among 18-month-old infants. There was a 1.35-fold higher risk of recurrent wheeze among homozygous variant allele carriers compared with homozygous wild-type allele carriers. There was significant interaction between rs7216389 and domestic furred pets, with a positive association between pets and wheeze among homozygous wild-type carriers and a negative association among homozygous variant allele carriers. There was no interaction between rs7216389 and tobacco smoke exposure.

Occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma in a wool worker caused by Dermestidae spp.

BACKGROUND: The family Dermestidae belongs to the order Coleoptera. Occupational allergy has been described in museum personnel. A 31-year-old male wool worker presenting rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma episodes probably linked to exposure to Dermestidae-infected wool was investigated. METHODS: Extracts prepared either from insect bodies or from dust from parasitized wool were used for skin prick testing (SPT), conjunctival and bronchial provocation tests and in vitro determinations. RESULTS: SPT and provocation tests were positive to both extracts. PEFR measurement demonstrated the association between the patient's symptoms and occupational exposure to Dermestidae. Specific IgE to both extracts was detected and immunoblotting revealed several protein bands from 5 to 200 kDa that were reactive to IgE from the patient's serum. CONCLUSIONS: Dermestidae exposure in wool workers when handling parasitized wool can be a cause of IgE-mediated rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma.

'Dry' skin in atopic dermatitis. I. A clinical study.

A common finding in patients with atopic dermatitis is the occurrence of 'dry' skin on non-eczematous regions. 'Dry' skin is here defined as a clinical condition meaning a rough, finely scaling non-inflamed skin surface. The frequency and extension of 'dry' skin were examined in 50 patients with atopic dermatitis and were compared with those in 50 non-atopics. A discrepancy was found in both groups between the subjective opinion of the presence of 'dry' skin and the objectively noted 'dry' skin. Among the atopics, 48% were found to have 'dry' skin compared with 14% among the controls (p less than 0.01). The most frequent location of 'dry' skin in both groups was the back. Intolerance to wool was found to be significantly high (p less than 0.01) in the atopic group, although it was also quite common in non-atopics. In order to correlate the clinical observation to skin morphology, a replica-technique was used to visualize the surface of 'dry' skin in the scanning electron microscope.

The role of atopy in occupational dermatoses.

Hayfever was the commonest symptom of atopy among a group of 134 individuals who had been compensated for work-related skin disease in South Carolina. A history of previous eczema and a history of wool intolerance differed significantly between the group with contact dermatitis and the group with other work-related dermatoses. The rôle of atopy figured dramatically among the more serious cases, accounting for 93% of these cases resulting in job loss.

[Luminescence analysis of the peripheral blood in certain types of allergy]. / Liuminestsentnyi amaliz perifericheskoi krovi pri nekotorykh vidakh allergii.

Fluorescent spectral analysis of acridine-orange-stained fixed blood smears from patients taken in the period of allergic reaction revealed the presence in the blood of free granules presumably containing the major proteins given fluorescence in the green part of the spectrum. The number of these granules increases in the first phase of the allergic reaction and declines as the patient recovers.