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Mold and other allergen exposures exacerbate asthma symptoms in sensitized individuals. We evaluated allergen concentrations, skin test sensitivities, and asthma morbidity for 182 children, aged 4-12 years, with moderate to severe asthma, enrolled 18 months after Katrina, from the city of New Orleans and the surrounding parishes that were impacted by the storm, into the Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL) observational study. Dust (indoor) and air (indoor and outdoor) samples were collected at baseline of 6 and 12 months. Dust samples were evaluated for dust mite, cockroach, mouse, and Alternaria by immunoassay. Air samples were evaluated for airborne mold spore concentrations. Overall, 89% of the children tested positive to ≥1 indoor allergen, with allergen-specific sensitivities ranging from 18% to 67%. Allergen concentration was associated with skin sensitivity for 1 of 10 environmental triggers analyzed (cat). Asthma symptom days did not differ with skin test sensitivity, and surprisingly, increased symptoms were observed in children whose baseline indoor airborne mold concentrations were below median levels. This association was not observed in follow-up assessments. The lack of relationship among allergen levels (including mold), sensitivities, and asthma symptoms points to the complexity of attempting to assess these associations during rapidly changing social and environmental conditions.
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This study investigated the relationship of children's autism symptoms with their toxic metal body burden and red blood cell (RBC) glutathione levels. In children ages 3-8 years, the severity of autism was assessed using four tools: ADOS, PDD-BI, ATEC, and SAS. Toxic metal body burden was assessed by measuring urinary excretion of toxic metals, both before and after oral dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Multiple positive correlations were found between the severity of autism and the urinary excretion of toxic metals. Variations in the severity of autism measurements could be explained, in part, by regression analyses of urinary excretion of toxic metals before and after DMSA and the level of RBC glutathione (adjusted R(2) of 0.22-0.45, P < .005 in all cases). This study demonstrates a significant positive association between the severity of autism and the relative body burden of toxic metals.
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BACKGROUND: There is concern that shrimp-allergic individuals may react to glucosamine-containing products as shrimp shells are a major source of glucosamine used for human consumption. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether shrimp-allergic individuals can tolerate therapeutic doses of glucosamine. METHODS: Subjects with a history of shrimp allergy were recruited and tested for both shrimp reactivity via a prick skin test and shrimp-specific IgE by an ImmunoCAP assay. Fifteen subjects with positive skin tests to shrimp and an ImmunoCAP class level of two or greater were selected for a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) using glucosamine-chondroitin tablets containing 1,500 mg of synthetically produced (control) or shrimp-derived glucosamine. Immediate reactions, including changes in peak flow and blood pressure, and delayed reactions (up to 24 h post-challenge) via questionnaire were noted and assessed. RESULTS: All subjects tolerated 1,500 mg of both shrimp-derived or synthetic glucosamine without incident of an immediate hypersensitivity response. Peak flows and blood pressures remained constant, and no subject had symptoms of a delayed reaction 24 h later. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that glucosamine supplements from specific manufacturers do not contain clinically relevant levels of shrimp allergen and therefore appear to pose no threat to shrimp-allergic individuals.
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Alérgenos/inmunología , Decápodos , Hipersensibilidad a los Alimentos/inmunología , Glucosamina/inmunología , Adulto , Animales , Suplementos Dietéticos , Método Doble Ciego , Femenino , Humanos , Hipersensibilidad Tardía/inmunología , Hipersensibilidad Inmediata/inmunología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pruebas CutáneasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to fish are a common cause of food allergy in many areas of the world where fish is a major source of protein. Although different species of fish may be consumed, possible cross-reactivity has received limited investigation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess potential cross-reactivity to different species of fish species using double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFC) in fish-allergic adults and to compare skin test and RAST reactivity with the challenge response. METHODS: Nine skin prick test and/or RAST-positive adult individuals with histories of an immediate-type reaction following fish ingestion were challenged with different fish species using double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge. RESULTS: Of a total of 19 double-blind, placebo-controlled fish challenges performed, 14 challenges (74%) resulted in the induction of objective signs that were consistent with an IgE-mediated response. The most common sign observed was emesis (37%); the most prevalent subjective symptoms reported were compatible with the oral allergy syndrome (84%). Three subjects reacted to at least three fish species and one subject reacted to two fish species tested. In regard to the positive challenges, predictive accuracy of skin prick test and RAST was 84% and 78%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that clinically relevant cross-reactivity among various species of fish may exist. Advising fish-allergic subjects to avoid all fish species should be emphasized until a species can be proven safe to eat by provocative challenge.
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Peces/inmunología , Hipersensibilidad a los Alimentos , Adulto , Animales , Reacciones Cruzadas/inmunología , Método Doble Ciego , Eritema/inmunología , Femenino , Hipersensibilidad a los Alimentos/inmunología , Humanos , Masculino , Enfermedades de la Boca/inmunología , Prueba de Radioalergoadsorción , Pruebas Cutáneas , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
The degree of immunodeficiency associated with deficiency of adenosine deaminase (ADA) is variable. Most patients are infants with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), but in about 20 percent immune dysfunction becomes manifest later in childhood ("delayed-onset"); several patients with "late" or "adult" onset of immune dysfunction have been diagnosed at 15-39 years. Over 40 ADA gene mutations have thus far been identified. To better define the genotype-phenotype relationship, we report 7 novel ADA mutations, including 5 missense mutations (G74C, V129M, G140E, R149W, Q199P) and two short deletions (462delG, E337del). These were identified among 7 patients (3 with SCID and 4 with delayed-onset). A homozygote for 462delG had SCID, whereas patients homozygous or heterozyous for V129M had delayed-onset. Two other delayed-onset patients, one heterozygous for G74C and the other for Q199P, each had a second allele carrying the previously reported "severe" mutation G216R. These findings are consistent with previous observations suggesting that, in general, SCID occurs when both alleles eliminate ADA function, and a milder phenotype when at least one allele can supply a low level of function.
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Adenosina Desaminasa/genética , Mutación/genética , Inmunodeficiencia Combinada Grave/genética , Adenosina Desaminasa/deficiencia , Adolescente , Adulto , Edad de Inicio , Arginina/genética , Cisteína/genética , Ácido Glutámico/genética , Glutamina/genética , Glicina/genética , Humanos , Metionina/genética , Prolina/genética , Eliminación de Secuencia/genética , Triptófano/genética , Valina/genéticaRESUMEN
Although the ability of Aspergillus organisms to colonize the respiratory tract in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is well recognized, the contribution of Aspergillus to the disease process is poorly understood. Using sera from 147 CF patients (age 5 to 43 yr), we measured IgE antibody (ab) to Aspergillus fumigatus and five common inhalant allergens with a radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Total IgE levels and IgG ab to radio-labeled Asp f I, an allergen purified from A. fumigatus and a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis, were also measured. Thirty (20%) of the patients had IgE ab to A. fumigatus, and 22 (15%) of these patients had developed total IgE levels > or = 400 IU/ml, raising the consideration of a diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Five of the 22 patients developed these IgE responses by age 5 yr and 14 by age 10 yr. The proportion of patients with IgE ab to one or more of the other allergens tested was not significantly different from that of control subjects without respiratory symptoms. A striking proportion (84%) of CF sera contained IgG ab to Asp f I, compared with 6% of sera from control patients and 20% of sera from allergic children with asthma (n = 25), only one of whom had IgE ab to A. fumigatus. In an examination of additional sera from young CF patients, IgG anti-Asp f I ab was detected in 41% of these sera from patients 5 yr of age or older, increasing to 98% of 89 sera from patients older than age 10.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Envejecimiento/inmunología , Alérgenos/inmunología , Anticuerpos Antifúngicos/sangre , Aspergillus fumigatus/inmunología , Fibrosis Quística/inmunología , Ribonucleasas , Adolescente , Adulto , Especificidad de Anticuerpos , Antígenos de Plantas , Asma/inmunología , Niño , Preescolar , Fibrosis Quística/microbiología , Proteínas Fúngicas/inmunología , Humanos , Hipersensibilidad Inmediata/inmunología , Hipersensibilidad Inmediata/microbiología , Inmunoglobulina E/sangre , Inmunoglobulina M/sangre , Pruebas Cutáneas , Esputo/microbiologíaAsunto(s)
Adenosina Desaminasa/deficiencia , Candidiasis Bucal/complicaciones , Tos/complicaciones , Diarrea/complicaciones , Insuficiencia de Crecimiento/complicaciones , Inmunodeficiencia Combinada Grave/diagnóstico , Síndrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida/diagnóstico , Adenosina Desaminasa/uso terapéutico , Animales , Fibrosis Quística/diagnóstico , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Conejos , Inmunodeficiencia Combinada Grave/complicaciones , Síndrome de Wiskott-Aldrich/diagnósticoRESUMEN
The immunochemical properties of antigens produced by Aspergillus fumigatus were investigated with biochemical purification techniques in conjunction with the production of murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and binding studies with human IgG and IgE antibodies. A. fumigatus antigens were partially purified by gel filtration and hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose. Two fractions that eluted with either 2 mol/L or 0.15 mol/L of NaCl demonstrated strong binding to human IgG and IgE antibodies. Immunoprecipitation analysis with IgG antibodies from six patients with different Aspergillus-related diseases demonstrated that the 2M and 0.15M fractions contained major antigens of molecular weight 18 kd (Asp f I) and 45 kd, respectively. The 125I-labeled 2M fraction was used to compare IgG antibodies to A. fumigatus in sera from 25 patients with Aspergillus-related diseases. IgG antibodies were significantly higher in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (geometric mean, 437 U/ml) than in patients with asthma (geometric mean, 14 U/ml; p less than 0.001), but undetectable (less than 5 U/ml) in 43/48 control subjects. A good correlation was found between levels of IgG antibodies to the 125I-labeled 0.15M fraction and the 125I-labeled 2M fraction in sera from 106 patients with cystic fibrosis (r = 0.77; p less than 0.001). Five murine IgG MAbs and two IgM MAbs were raised against the 2M fraction, and immunoprecipitation with the IgG MAb demonstrated two distinct antigens within the 2M fraction, Asp f I, and a 16 kd antigen. The results of a solid-phase RIA with IgG MAb 4A6 demonstrated that approximately 85% of A. fumigatus-allergic patients with allergic bonchopulmonary aspergillosis had IgE antibodies to Asp f I. The three protein antigens defined in these studies are useful probes for investigating the immunopathogenesis of diseases associated with colonization by A. fumigatus.