Degree of olive pollen exposure and sensitization patterns. Clinical implications.

BACKGROUND: Very high levels of exposure to olive pollen in the south of Spain lead to differential allergen sensitization profiles. Therefore, new approaches to allergen standardization, diagnosis, and vaccination are necessary.
METHODS: Quantification of minor allergens in extracts, component-resolved patient diagnosis, and IgG4 individual allergen responses were used to evaluate new strategies in the management of olive pollen allergy.
RESULTS: Allergen variability observed between different olive cultivars can be used to identify suitable allergen sources that can be combined to yield consistent allergen extracts for diagnosis and immunotherapy. Component-resolved diagnosis can provide a better patient classification. IgG4 levels to major allergens increase significantly, whereas specific IgG4 to minor allergens does not seem to increase, at least during the early phases of immunotherapy.
CONCLUSION: Patients exposed to extreme olive pollen levels display a different severity of allergy from those exposed to normal levels, which makes it necessary to follow a different clinical approach. The use of component-resolved diagnosis, better standardized allergen extracts, and new efficacy monitoring techniques will lead to a significant improvement in the management of olive allergy disease.