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Spice allergy in celery‐sensitive patients
Author(s) -
Stauger J.,
Wuuthrich B.,
Johansson S.G.O.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1991.tb04365.x
Subject(s) - mugwort , apiaceae , pepper , allergy , daucus carota , medicine , traditional medicine , botany , biology , food science , immunology , alternative medicine , pathology
Scratch tests (SCT) with powdered commercial spices were performed in 70 patients with positive skin tests to birch and/or mugwort pollens and celery. Positive SCT to aniseed, fennel, coriander and cumin ‐ all from the same botanical family (Apiaceae) as celery ‐were observed in more than 24 patients. Spices from unrelated families (red pepper, white pepper, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon) elicited positive immediate skin test reactions only in three of 11 patients. Specific serum IgE to spices (determined in 41 patients with positive RAST to celery) up to class 3 were seen especially in patients with celery‐mugwort or celery‐birch‐mugwort association, and concerned various botanical families. Celery‐birch association pattern was linked to positive reactions (RAST classes 1–2) to spices from the Apiaceae family only. CLINICAL ASPECTS Allergy to spices is often observed in celery‐allergic patients. In cases with the mugwort‐celery association pattern several high RAST values (up to class 3) were seen to various spices from Apiaceae as well as from unrelated botanical families (celery‐mugwort‐spices association). This sensitization can be of clinical importance, as anaphylactic reactions to spices in food are well documented. The birch‐celery association pattern gave some positive RAST results of classes 1–2 to the spices from the Apiaceae family only ‐ suggesting cross‐reactivity between Apiaceae and Betulaceae, probably due to thermolabile allergens.