Sensitization to Ficus benjamina: relationship to natural rubber latex allergy and identification of foods implicated in the Ficus-fruit syndrome

Summary Background Ornamental Ficus benjamina (FB) has been recognized as a new indoor allergen. Little is known about the prevalence in moderately exposed subjects and the proposed association with fruit and Hevea latex hypersensitivity. Objective To study the prevalence of FB sensitization and the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical and experimental allergy 2004-08, Vol.34 (8), p.1251-1258
Main Authors: Hemmer, W., Focke, M., Götz, M., Jarisch, R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actinidia
Adult
Allergens - immunology
Allergic diseases
Ananas
Biological and medical sciences
Carica
Cross Reactions
Ficus
Ficus benjamina
Ficus carica
ficus-fruit syndrome
fig fruit
Food Hypersensitivity - complications
Food Hypersensitivity - immunology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fundamental immunology
Hevea
hevein
Humans
Hypersensitivity - diagnosis
Hypersensitivity - immunology
Immunopathology
kiwi fruit
Latex Hypersensitivity - complications
Latex Hypersensitivity - immunology
latex-fruit syndrome
Mass Screening
Medical sciences
Musa
ornamental plants
papain
Prevalence
Skin Tests
Syndrome
thiolproteases
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Summary Background Ornamental Ficus benjamina (FB) has been recognized as a new indoor allergen. Little is known about the prevalence in moderately exposed subjects and the proposed association with fruit and Hevea latex hypersensitivity. Objective To study the prevalence of FB sensitization and the relationship with Hevea latex allergy, to identify cross‐reacting fruits, and to characterize the responsible allergens. Methods A skin prick test solution prepared from FB latex (200 μg/mL) was included in our routine screening programme for suspect inhalant allergy. Patients reacting with the FB extract were further skin tested with exotic fruits by the prick‐to‐prick method. Inhibition of fig and FB CAP by FB latex, fig (Ficus carica), kiwi, the thiolproteases ficin and papain, Hevea latex and rHev b 6.02 (hevein) was performed in selected patients. Results Of 2662 patients with a positive skin test to any aeroallergen, 66 (2.5%) reacted with FB. Ten patients showed isolated sensitization to FB. Although FB‐positive subjects were more often co‐sensitized to Hevea latex than FB‐negative (10.6% vs 3.8%, P
ISSN:0954-7894
1365-2222
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2004.02046.x