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Biomedical subjects

A Callejo

Publications and source records attributed to A Callejo.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Anisakis simplex allergy after eating chicken meat.

BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to food can be produced by contaminants that induce sensitization. Among these, Anisakis simplex can cause seafood infestation, and allergic symptoms (urticaria-angioedema, anaphylaxis, and asthma) can follow the eating or handling of affected fish. Although seafood is the principal source of human infections by this parasite, we have found allergic symptoms in 8 patients previously diagnosed as having A simplex sensitization after they ate chicken meat. Chicken feed usually has a high proportion of fishmeal, which might possibly be contaminated by this nematode. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine whether parasite proteins present in chicken meat could be responsible for the symptoms reported by these subjects. METHODS: We carried out in vivo tests (prick, bronchial challenge, and double-blind placebo-controlled challenge with meat chicken) in these 8 patients. We performed immunoblotting using the sera from the 8 patients and controls in order to detect A simplex sensitization. We also investigated the presence of A simplex proteins in sera from chickens fed with fishmeal and in other sera from chickens fed only with cereals. We excluded sensitization to other chicken nematodes by serologic methods. RESULTS: All 8 patients presented positive prick and challenges to A simplex. When we used serum from chickens fed with fishmeal as the antigen in blotting, patients 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 recognized a band of 16 kd, also obtained when using pools of fish-shellfish and A simplex larva. No detection was observed with sera from chickens fed with only cereals. CONCLUSION: We provide evidence, based on in vivo and in vitro tests, that subjects highly sensitized to A simplex can detect the presence of Anisakis species allergens in chicken meat.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Living in towers as risk factor of pollen allergy.

BACKGROUND: The effects of fluctuations in pollen counts have important implications for health services. Little research on the clinical implications of the vertical distribution of pollen in allergy symptoms has been carried out. METHODS: We have investigated the allergic symptoms of a population of 17 171 patients coming from our health area (Valladolid, Spain) and living in the city and villages. We compared the prevalence of sensitization to different pollens: Graminae, trees and shrub in relation with the floor of the building where they were living. RESULTS: Relative risk of pollen sensitization (confidence index, CI 95%) was higher in patients who were living at high floors than in those patients who were living in lower floors or at street level, independently of rural or urban conditions The chi-square showed a lineal trend in this relationship in the case of sensitization to grass pollen: chi(2): 1794, P > 0.00001 CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our local investigations, natural pollen sensitization appears to increase with height where the patient lives. This paper reports clinical results on the influence of vertical pollen distribution in pollen allergy.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Allergy after ingestion or inhalation of cereals involves similar allergens in different ages.

BACKGROUND: Cereals are among the major foods that account for food hypersensitivity reactions. Salt-soluble proteins appear to be the most important allergens contributing to the asthmatic response. In contrast, very limited information is available regarding cereal allergens responsible for allergic reactions after ingestion of cereal proteins. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the allergenic reactivity of ingested and inhaled cereal allergens in different ages, in order to investigate if the response to different allergens would depend on the sensitization route. METHODS: We included 66 patients in three groups. Group 1: 40 children aged 3 to 6 months who suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting, eczema or weight loss after the introduction of cereal formula in their diet and in which a possibility of coeliac disease was discarded. Group 2: 18 adults with food allergy due to cereals tested by prick tests, specific IgE and food challenge. Group 3: eight patients previously diagnosed as having baker's asthma. Sera pool samples were collected from each group of patients and IgE immunoblotting was performed. RESULTS: We found an important sensitization to cereal in the 40 children. The most important allergens were wheat followed by barley and rye. Among the adults with cereal allergy, sensitization to other allergens was common, especially to Lolium perenne (rye grass) pollen. Immunoblotting showed similar allergenic detection in the three groups. CONCLUSION: Clinically significant reactivity to cereal may be observed in early life. Inhalation and ingestion routes causing cereal allergy seem to involve similar allergens. The diet control was more effective in children. The possibility of cereal allergy after the introduction of cereal formula during the lactation period should not be underestimated.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2001

Anaphylaxis associated with antiphospholipid syndrome.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, no previously published reports have described food-induced anaphylaxis associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome. OBJECTIVE: We undertook a study of four patients with thrombosis associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome after each patient experienced anaphylaxis attributable to ingestion of vegetal foods. METHODS: IgE antibody levels to various foods were determined in serum specimens from the study patients, and skin prick tests with the same allergens were conducted to determine their in vivo responses. Hematologic, cardiopulmonary, vascular, and rheumatologic studies were also performed. IgG anticardiolipin antibody levels were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: All four patients fulfilled the criteria for antiphospholipid syndrome and had high levels of specific IgE antibodies for certain food allergens. By immunoblot analysis, the presence of serum IgE specific for a 45-kD protein band in an almond extract was detected in these four patients who experienced food-related anaphylaxis. No specific IgE was detected in sera from normal subjects. No IgE antibodies specific for the food panallergen lipid transfer proteins were detected. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of severe food-precipitated anaphylaxis associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome and the first description of a patient with allergy to blackberry. The possible involvement of food panallergens distinct from lipid transfer proteins is also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Early introduction of cereals into children's diets as a risk-factor for grass pollen asthma.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asthma has increased from the 1950s to the 1990s. The relationship between diet and asthma is an area of controversy that has never been fully evaluated. Attempts at dietary prevention of asthma have produced conflicting results. We have recently identified allergens from cereals that show cross-reactivity with proteins in grass pollen. An early intake of cereals in the diet during early life might cause IgE sensitization to cereals. It is not known whether such sensitization predisposes the development of allergy to pollen. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, a cross-sectional study and an observational case-control analysis of reviewed data were carried out on 16381 patients who had been admitted to our Allergy Unit between 1989 and 1999. All the patients underwent allergy tests to identify asthma risk-factors. All information in our data base was analysed using the SPSS computer system. RESULTS: There has been an increase of 7.8% in incidences of allergic asthma and a 7.3% increase in asthma due to grass pollen in the last decade. Grass-pollen asthma was associated with sensitization to cereals. The early introduction of cereals in the diet of children was found to be a risk factor for grass-pollen asthma (OR = 5.95; 95% CI 3.89-9.10). CONCLUSIONS: These findings document the progression of allergic asthma during a decade in a large sample of people who were influenced by similar environmental conditions and studied with the same diagnostic methods. This study represents the largest database of patients in which a common food is shown to be a risk factor for asthma.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Occupational asthma by Anisakis simplex.

BACKGROUND: No cases of occupational asthma caused by the inhalation of antigens from Anisakis simplex have been published. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility that A simplex can play a role in the asthma experienced by 2 workers when handling fish and fish flour. METHODS: Skin prick and bronchial challenge tests with A simplex were performed. We also carried out measurements of specific IgE to A simplex and immunoblotting. RESULTS: Both patients had strong positive skin test responses, challenge test responses, and specific IgE to A simplex. Immunoblotting showed that both patients also had IgE against several bands in the fish flour extract, suggesting contamination by Anisakis allergens. CONCLUSION: These 2 patients provide evidence for occupational asthma caused by A simplex, based on in vivo and in vitro tests for Anisakis-specific IgE.

Allergens↗
PubMed1996

Celiac plexus block as treatment for refractory pain related to sclerosing cholangitis in AIDS patients.

Sclerosing cholangitis may be a cause of refractory pain in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. We performed celiac plexus block in three such patients with sever pain from sclerosing cholangitis and a poor response to conventional analgesia. The pain had been centered in the epigastrium and/or upper-right quadrant of the abdomen for 2, 10, and 15 weeks, respectively. Computed tomography-guided celiac plexus block with absolute alcohol and bupivacaine was performed. All three patients reported complete disappearance of the pain immediately after the procedure in two cases and 3 days later in the remaining patient. All patients were discharged free of pain and without analgesics and were followed up for 2, 8, and 11 months, respectively, without recurrence of pain. Celiac plexus block deserves further trial for the treatment of severe pain associated with sclerosing cholangitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The quality of life of our three patients was considerably improved with this relatively simple procedure.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anaphylaxis after ingestion of sharon fruit.

BACKGROUND: The sharon fruit is the edible fruit of the persimmon tree (Diospyros kaki) which belongs to the Ebenaceae family. There are few references of allergic reaction to this fruit. We introduce a case of a 33-years old man with a anaphylactic reaction immediately after ingestion of sharon fruit. METHODS: Skin prick test (SPT) were performed by prick by prick with sharon fruit, legumes, vegetables, and fresh fruit. The test was considered positive when the average diameter of the wheal was > 3 mm. Serum-specific IgE was identified with use of the EIA, and SDS-PAGE Immunoblotting. RESULTS: The skin by prick test with sharon fruit was positive in our case, and negative in five controls patients. Specific IgE in patient serum, assayed by EIA was positive for sharon fruit, but the results of immunoblotting were non-specific. CONCLUSION: We have introduced a cause of anaphylaxis by sharon fruit that suggest an IgE mediated hypersensitivity reaction.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is Lolium pollen from an urban environment more allergenic than rural pollen?

BACKGROUND: Allergy to grass pollen is a highly prevalent allergic disease. Hay fever is more predominant in urban than in rural areas, despite the increasingly smaller areas of surrounding grassland. The effect of vehicle exhaust pollutants, mainly diesel particles, and other industrial sources of atmospheric pollution leading to plant damage has been implicated in this phenomenon. OBJECTIVE: This study compared the in vivo and in vitro allergenicity of pooled samples of Lolium perenne grass pollen harvested from 10 different urban areas with that of samples of the same pollen from 10 neighboring rural areas. METHODS: Lolium perenne pollen from different parts of a city and from a nearby rural area was harvested in 1999 and 2000 during the peak pollination period. Protein composition was compared by SDS-PAGE and in vivo and in vitro IgE-binding capacity was compared by skin-prick tests, RAST-inhibition and measurement of the major allergen, Lol p 5. RESULTS: In the two years under study, urban samples contained approximately twice the protein content of the rural samples. Biological activity and Lol p 5 content was higher in urban pollen than in rural pollen and showed differences in the two years under study. CONCLUSIONS: The protein content and allergenicity of Lolium perenne pollen was higher in urban areas than in rural areas. These differences might explain why allergy to grass pollen is more prevalent in urban areas. This finding should be taken into account in diagnosis, preventive measures and specific immunotherapy.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enhancement of tomato allergenicity after treatment with plant hormones.

BACKGROUND: Practical applications to enhance the productivity of agriculture by using plants with improved resistance to pathogens are expected to increase in the near future. Although tomato has been widely investigated for breeding purposes, there have been no studies on tomato allergenicity after plant hormones treatments. METHODS: Prick by prick tests were carried out with different tomato samples (fruits grown under biological conditions without addition of chemical products, and treated with ethylene and salicylic acid) in eight patients with ages between 12 and 27 years who suffered from anaphylaxis episodes after eating raw tomatoes. An immunoblot experiment with the different tomato extracts was performed using sera from these eight patients and controls. RESULTS: The wheals obtained in prick tests were significantly higher with the extracts of tomato treated with ethylene and SAA (chi(2) = 31.3, p < 0.0001) and the patients who presented higher wheal diameters in skin tests were those who had more severe episodes of anaphylaxis. Neither the protein stain nor the IgE immunodetection patterns clearly varied between the untreated and the hormone-treated samples. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of anaphylaxis induced by tomato, the treatment with plant hormones induced a higher cutaneous response than with non-treated tomato, but the "in vitro" response was similar.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cereal-induced anaphylaxis in an adult after eating a baby cereal formula.

Ingestion of infant cereal formula as a cause of anaphylaxis has been exclusively described in children. We report the case of a man who experienced an anaphylactic reaction after eating his son's cereal formula. We believe that cereals constitute a rising problem and a hidden allergen that can cause severe reactions. Although these reactions are not fully understood, they may possibly be a life-long event.

Adult↗