Hypersensitivity to chironomid Chironomus salinarius (non-biting midge living in the lagoon of Venice) in a child with serious skin and respiratory symptoms.

We are here describing the case of a ten-year-old child, without any allergyc family antecedent, who presented a growing skin and respiratory symptomatology in contact with swarms of non-biting midges Chironomus Salinarius in the summers 1984-1985-1986. These diptera have been greatly multiplying since the beginning of the summer 1982. The skin tests and the RAST-ELISA with common air-borne allergens resulted negative. On the contrary the prick-test with a suspension of the entire body of the Chironomus Salinarius and the radio-allergo-sorbent-test, specially prepared, resulted strongly positive. We point out that the massive reproduction of these midges, which may provoke allergy, in drainage areas and lagoons is a consequence of man interference on the natural water equilibrium.