2017 Volume 110 Issue 4 Pages 265-273
Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) is caused by ingestion of trigger foods, including several fruits and vegetables. Many patients with OAS also suffer from hay fever, a condition that is called Pollen-Associated Food Allergy Syndrome (PFS).
In this study, we focused on patients who tested positive for antibodies against the antigen of the genus Alnus of the birch family, which is one of the causative pollen antigens.
Among the subjects who visited our department between May 2012 and October 2015 with nasal symptoms and underwent determination of antigen-specific IgE antibody (Immuno CAP), we investigated the antigen-positive rate, the age-specific sensitization rate for the antigen of the genus Alnus, and the age, sex and the presence OAS in patients showing a positive reaction to the antigen of the genus Alnus.
Positive reaction to the antigen of the genus Alnus was found in 19% of the patients with nasal symptoms, which represented one in about five people tested. The total IgE was high in many of the Alnus-positive cases, and there were no cases that showed sensitization to the Alnus antigen alone.
The patients with OAS had a tendency to show significantly elevated levels of Alnus-specific IgE.
The pollen scattering season, namely, early spring, of the genus Alnus overlaps with that of Japanese cedar and cypress, therefore, Alnus hay fever hardly attracts attention.
However, sensitization to the genus Alunus may cause OAS and may even leads to anaphylaxis. Therefore, the antigen of the genus Alnus should also be tested for to determine the causative antigens for hay fever in the early spring.
