Yoko Osawa1, Yumi Ito2, Noboru Takahashi3, Chizuru Sugimoto4, Yoko Kohno5, Shigehito Mori6, Taiyo Morikawa7, Yukinori Kato2, Masayuki Okamoto2, Masafumi Kanno2, Tetsuji Takabayashi2, Shigeharu Fujieda8. 1. Division of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Sensory and Locomotor Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Japanese Red Cross Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan. 2. Division of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Sensory and Locomotor Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan. 3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fukui Sougou Clinic, Fukui, Japan. 4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fukui Katsuyama General Hospital, Fukui, Japan. 5. Kohno Clinic, Fukui, Japan. 6. Mori Clinic, Fukui, Japan. 7. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Japanese Red Cross Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan. 8. Division of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Sensory and Locomotor Medicine, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan. Electronic address: sfujieda@u-fukui.ac.jp.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is an immediate allergy caused by a cross-reaction of highly homologous common antigens (pan-allergens) contained in fruits/vegetables and pollen. METHODS: A questionnaire was provided to 6824 outpatient visitors and serum levels of specific IgEs against crude antigens and pan-allergen components were measured to study the relationship between the prevalence of OAS and pollinosis in the Fukui Prefecture where there is almost no dispersal of birch pollen. RESULTS: The prevalence of OAS was 10.8%. The rate of pollinosis complication in the OAS group was 67.4%, and OAS was observed in 16.8% of pollinosis patients. Causative foods in order of frequency were melon, pineapple, kiwi fruit, peach, and apple. A significantly higher number of patients from the OAS group were positive for birch, alder, and timothy grass-specific IgE. The rate of positivity for anti-component IgE corresponding to pollen in OAS group was also significantly higher. Of 34 patients with OAS caused by eating apples, 28 (82.4%) were positive for Mal d1-specific IgE. Of the 52 patients with peach-induced OAS, 41 (78.8%) were positive for Pur p1-specific IgE. The concordance rates between crude antigen-specific IgE and anti-PR-10 component-specific IgE were 87.1% and 93.3% for apple and peach respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In regions where birch pollen is not dispersed, OAS patients have a significant association with the onset of Bet v1-associated allergy. Anti-PR-10 component IgE was useful in diagnosing OAS, and crude antigen-specific IgE was also associated with apple and peach allergies.
BACKGROUND:Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is an immediate allergy caused by a cross-reaction of highly homologous common antigens (pan-allergens) contained in fruits/vegetables and pollen. METHODS: A questionnaire was provided to 6824 outpatient visitors and serum levels of specific IgEs against crude antigens and pan-allergen components were measured to study the relationship between the prevalence of OAS and pollinosis in the Fukui Prefecture where there is almost no dispersal of birch pollen. RESULTS: The prevalence of OAS was 10.8%. The rate of pollinosis complication in the OAS group was 67.4%, and OAS was observed in 16.8% of pollinosispatients. Causative foods in order of frequency were melon, pineapple, kiwi fruit, peach, and apple. A significantly higher number of patients from the OAS group were positive for birch, alder, and timothy grass-specific IgE. The rate of positivity for anti-component IgE corresponding to pollen in OAS group was also significantly higher. Of 34 patients with OAS caused by eating apples, 28 (82.4%) were positive for Mal d1-specific IgE. Of the 52 patients with peach-induced OAS, 41 (78.8%) were positive for Pur p1-specific IgE. The concordance rates between crude antigen-specific IgE and anti-PR-10 component-specific IgE were 87.1% and 93.3% for apple and peach respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In regions where birch pollen is not dispersed, OAS patients have a significant association with the onset of Bet v1-associated allergy. Anti-PR-10 component IgE was useful in diagnosing OAS, and crude antigen-specific IgE was also associated with apple and peachallergies.