A Case of Immediate Hypersensitivity Caused by Red Leaf Lettuce

Abstract

　A 64-year-old Japanese male farmer presented with itchy erythema located predominantly on the exposed parts of the face and hands for 10 years. He exhibited asthma-like symptoms while growing red leaf lettuce. Both UVA minimal response dose and UVB minimal erythema dose were decreased. Skin patch tests were negative for both leaves and the stalk of red leaf lettuce. As skin prick tests were positive for red leaf lettuce, we concluded that his symptoms were due to type I allergy of red leaf lettuce.