抄録
In 1963, hay fever due to Japanese cedar pollen was found at first by the authors in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture where there is a great number of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don). Then this hay fever is named “Japanese cedar pollinosis”. The authors present the clinical findings in a group of 28 patients with this hay fever. Japanese cedar is the most commonly afforested conifer which lives only in Japan. In Nikko, the pollination of Japanese cedar begins in early March, and reaches a peak in early April. Its pollination in Tokyo is from February to March. This hay fever usually begins in the second and third decades and the sexes are almost equally affected. Heredity and infection are the most important predisposing factors. Symptoms are correspond with Japanese cedar pollen seasons. Intradermal test with Japanese cedar pollen extract is positive in 89.3 per cent of the total of 28 cases. Nasal and conjunctival tests are positive in 100 per cent and 89.3 per cent of the total of 28 cases respectively. Prausnitz-Küstner’s reactions which were carried out in five cases were positive. During the pollen seasons, all cases show eosinophilia in nasal mucus. The nasal mucosa shows swelled ciliated epithelium and abundant goblet cells. Edema and eosinophil infiltration in submucosal layer is characteristic. Vascular dilatation is remarkable. The upper respiratory infection is a very common complication. The complicated asthma is seen in only one case. The treatments consist of the conservative symptomatic one, hyposensitization and topical one for the complicated upper respiratory infections, especially, epipharyngitis.
It is the authors’ opinion that both diagnostic skin tests and a careful collection of clinical data can help in making the diagnosis of this hay fever.
