ISSN:
1365-2222
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background Type I allergy represents a severe health problem in industrialized countries where up to 20% of the population suffer froin allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and allergic asthma bronchiale and in severe cases from anaphylaxis. leading to death.Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate recombinant Bet v I, the major birch pollen allergen for in vivo and in vitro diagnosis of birch pollen allergy.Methods A group of 51 birch pollen allergic patients and eight non-allergic control individuals were tested for birch pollen allergy by skin-prick and intradennal testing, comparing commercial birch pollen extracts with recombinant Bet v I. Quantitative and qualitative serological testing was done with natural and recombinant allergens by radioallergosorbent test (RAST), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting.Results Recombinant Bet v I allowed accurate in vivo and in vitro diagnosis of tree pollen allergy in 49/51 patients tested. No false positive results were obtained in any in vitro assay system (ELISA. Westernblot) or by skin testing (skin-prick, intradermal test) with recombinant Bet v I.Conclusion Our results document that recombinant Bet v I produced in bacterial expression systems allows accurate in vitro and in vivo diagnosis of birch pollen allergy in 〉 95% of birch pollen allergic patients.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.1996.tb00056.x
