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Aeroallergen sampling
Published in Richard F. Lockey, Dennis K. Ledford, Allergens and Allergen Immunotherapy, 2020
Estelle Levetin, Josh D. McLoud
Longhi et al. [76] carried out the first published studies using qPCR assays for quantifying pollen grains. The authors developed qPCR assays for many common allergenic pollen types and tested these with pollen suspension. For three of the pollen types, Betula pendula, Ostrya carpinifolia, and Parietaria officinalis, they compared quantification of pollen suspensions by microscopy and qPCR assays. The data showed no significant differences in quantities determined by the two methods. The authors also showed it was possible to extract DNA from pollen on a simulated Hirst-type air sample tape manually spread with various pollen types.
Down-titration of omalizumab in a patient with chronic spontaneous urticaria
Published in Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2018
A 22-year-old man reported dermographism with frequent episodes of itching wheals, triggered by scratching or pressure, without angioedema, in 2011. He had allergic conjunctivitis and rhinitis and had received four runs of allergen-specific immunotherapy for Dermatophagoides, the year before. Symptoms improved after ebastine 10 mg administration. Some laboratory examinations were performed. Complete blood count was normal. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, urea, creatinine, transaminase, triglycerides, cholesterol, antistreptolysin title, and blood proteins electrophoresis were normal. C3 level was 0.96 g/L. C4 was 0.11 g/L (normal range = 0.2–0.5). Antinuclear antigen, anti-DNA antibodies, and anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies were absent. Thyroid function tests were normal. Parasitologic examination of feces and anti HCV antibodies was negative. Specific IgE levels were Dermatophagoides = 50 kU/L, Phleum pratensis = 0.30 kUA/L, Parietaria officinalis = 0.13 kUA/L, and shrimp = 0.29 kUA/L.
Increased Lacrimal Fluid Level of HMGB1 in Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis
Published in Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, 2019
Roberto Caputo, Mattia Pasti, Cinzia de Libero, Francesca Mori, Simona Barni, Gioia Danti, Daniela Buonvicino, Matteo Urru, Alberto Chiarugi, Neri Pucci
All enrolled subjects underwent a slit lamp evaluation to define the diagnosis of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC Group) and to exclude any other inflammatory disease (Both Groups). Atopic status was assessed by skin prick tests (SPTs) for common inhalant and food allergens (house dust mites, cat and dog dander, Alternaria Alternata, Cladosporium herbarium, grass pollen, Parietaria officinalis, Artemisia vulgaris, plane, cypress, olive oil pollen, milk, egg, tomato, peanut, codfish, wheat, rice, and soybean). After the consent form was signed, subjects were asked to lay down on a bed, 100 µl of saline were dropped on the eye. After gentle movement of the eyelids, the fluid was collected in Eppendorf tubes with a plastic Pasteur pipette from the inferior fornix and refrigerated at −20°. Later on the fluid was centrifuged at 5.000 g and the supernatant immediately processed for HMGB1 measurement. HMGB1 was measured in lacrimal fluid collected from patients and healthy donors by the commercially available HMGB1 ELISA KIT II (Shino-Test Corporation, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan) according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Briefly, 10 μl of standard (pure HMGB1) or lacrimal fluid were added to wells of a 96 well plate already containing 100 μl of sample diluent. The microtiter plates were incubated for 20–24 h at 37°C. After washing, 100 μl/well of anti-HMGB1 peroxidase-conjugated monoclonal antibody were added and the plates incubated at room temperature for 2 h. After washing, the peroxidase substrate 3,3ʹ,5,5ʹ-tetra-methylbenzidine was added to each well. The enzyme reaction was allowed to proceed for 30 min at room temperature. The chromogenic substrate reaction was stopped by the addition of stop solution (0.35 mol/l Na2SO4) and the absorbance read at 450 nm.
The peripheral blood inflammatory patterns in the control levels of asthma in children
Published in Journal of Asthma, 2021
Orhan Coşkun, Nazli Ercan, Ilknur Bostanci
Atopy was classified as at least one positive reaction to an allergen sensitivity using the skin prick test (SPT) with a clinical correlation. The SPTs were applied to the anterior surface of the forearm when it was appropriate to test the subject (i.e. not taking antihistamines). SPTs for the following common aeroallergens were performed using an SPT device (Stallerpoint, Antony, France): Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, a mixture of grass pollens (Lolium perenne, Dactylis glomerata, Phleum pratense, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Poa pratensis, Festuca elatior, Agrostis vulgaris, Holcus lanatus, Cynodon dactylon, Avena sativa, Avena fatua, and Lotus corniculatus), Artemisia vulgaris, Parietaria officinalis, a mixture of grain pollens (oats, wheat, barley, and corn), a mixture of tree pollens (Acer pseudoplatanus, Aesculus hippocastanum, Robinia pseudoacacia, Tilia platyphyllos, and Platanus vulgaris), Cupressus, Betulaceae, Salicaceae, Alternaria alternaria, Cladosporium, cockroaches (Blattella germanica), latex, and cat and dog dander (Allergopharma GmbH & Co. KG, Reinbek, Germany). Histamine (10 mg/ml) and physiological saline were used as positive and negative references, respectively. The skin reactions were evaluated 20 min after the SPT. A positive reaction was characterized as a wheal diameter of ≥3 mm. If the results were inconsistent with the patient's allergic complaints, serum specific IgE tests for either perennial allergens (mites, molds, and animal epithelia) or seasonal allergens (grass pollen, weed pollen, and early-middle-late flowering tree pollens) were performed to show the presence of atopy.