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Biomedical subjects

G Forck

Publications and source records attributed to G Forck.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Kiwi fruit allergy: a new birch pollen-associated food allergy.

BACKGROUND: To determine the cross-reacting antigens of kiwi fruit and other foods and pollen, we investigated 22 patients allergic to kiwi fruit: 10 with severe systemic reactions and 12 with localized symptoms confined to oral and pharyngeal mucosa (oral allergy syndrome). Seven patients with birch pollen allergy who tolerated kiwi fruit were included as a control group. METHODS: All patients were evaluated by skin testing and RAST; three patients were evaluated by RAST inhibition assays. RESULTS: Prick tests showed positive reactions to kiwi fruit in all patients, whereas specific IgE to kiwi fruit could be demonstrated only in patients with generalized severe symptoms. Surprisingly, all 22 patients with clinical kiwi allergy showed positive prick test results and elevated IgE to birch pollen. Clinically, all complained of rhinitis during birch pollen season. Many patients showed sensitization to grass and mugwort pollen. Also, food allergy was found to be associated with kiwi allergy: we found strong reactions to apple and hazelnut; moderate reactions to carrot, potato, and avocado; and weak reactions to wheat and rye flour, pineapple and papaya, and their enzymes bromelain and papain. RAST inhibition studies revealed cross-reacting antigens between birch pollen and kiwi fruit. Interestingly, patients with birch pollen allergy without clinical signs of kiwi allergy had positive prick test reactions to kiwi. Patients with kiwi allergy showed higher concentrations to birch pollen IgE compared with patients with isolated birch pollen allergy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that kiwi allergy is a new manifestation of birch pollen-associated food allergy and is mediated by cross-reacting antigens in the kiwi fruit. Kiwi allergy can be expected in patients with birch pollen allergy exhibiting high levels of IgE to birch pollen.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Mercury sensitization in amalgam fillings. Assessment from a dermatologic viewpoint].

Epicutaneous tests were performed on 88 patients (27 men, 61 women; mean age 36.8 [18-68] years) thought to have an allergy against amalgam or mercury. In addition their oral mucosa was assessed clinically. The epicutaneous test was positive for mercury sensitization in seven patients, five of them reporting oral mucosa symptoms. Such symptoms also occurred, although less frequently, in non-sensitized patients (30 of 81). In three sensitized patients there was evidence of perioral dermatitis which in two of them cleared up after removal of the amalgam fillings. Two further patients had no further complaints, such as burning sensation on the oral mucosa, recurrent aphthous ulcers or gingivitis, after removal of amalgam fillings. In one patient each peroral eczema and diarrhoea aggravated after amalgam fillings had been taken out. These observations indicate that responses to mercury allergy are not uniform and show considerable individual variations. There is no reason to advise against or prohibit the use of amalgam fillings. Their substitutions by other materials may well bring about other types of allergy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Late cutaneous reactions to common allergens in patients with delayed pressure urticaria.

In 13 patients with delayed pressure urticaria (DPU) and in seven patients with chronic recurrent urticaria (CRU), prick tests were performed with a large battery of common allergens, including food extracts. Seven patients with DPU and all patients with CRU had positive early cutaneous reactions (15 min) (ECR), while six of the DPU and only one of the CRU patients had positive late cutaneous reactions (6h) (LCR). In the CRU patients, food allergens caused a positive ECR in one and no LCR in any of the cases, while two DPU patients had ECR and four had LCR to food allergens. The one patient with CRU and a positive LCR reacted to fungi, while of the DPU patients, five had LCRs to fungi, two to other inhalants, three to NaCl and one to histamine. None of the DPU patients lost their delayed pressure reactivity while on a diet lacking the food allergens to which they gave positive reactions. These results show that DPU patients have more frequent LCR than do CRU patients. They do not, however, confirm earlier reports claiming that the majority of DPU patients are allergic to food allergens and that their disease can be cured by elimination of the offending agents from their diet.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Immunocytochemical mapping of IgE/IgG binding sites within the birch pollen grain using serum from a patient undergoing hyposensitization therapy. Comparison with biochemically determined data.

Serum from an atopic patient undergoing a hyposensitization therapy to birch pollen allergens was used to carry out immunocytochemical mapping of specific IgE/IgG binding sites within ultrathin sections of birch pollen grains. There was a distinct rise in the density of specific IgG labelling in the course of therapy, whereas the density of IgE labelling remained fairly constant. However, the patterns of IgG and IgE binding in the pollen grain did not completely coincide since there was only IgE binding to certain pollen structures such as the apertural region. If the widely accepted concept of specific antibodies as 'blocking antibodies' is taken as a basis, the success of therapy must be questioned in this case because no IgG antibodies were formed to some of the allergens localized in the pollen grain and relevant to this patient. Very probably this result must be attributed to an incomplete pollen extract used in hyposensitization therapy. The results of the biochemical measurements (RAST, ELISA) agreed well with the immunocytochemical observations.

Binding Sites, Antibody↗
PubMed1986

[Immune response in therapy with allergens and allergoids].

We report on the patterns of specific IgE, IgG, and IgA antibodies during different kinds of hyposensitization. Whereas sIgE antibodies may even be influenced by environmental stimulants, the production of sIgG antibodies depends on the amount of antigens injected for therapy. There is some evidence that patients who do not reveal sIgG response have increased sIgA antibody titers, instead.

Allergens↗
PubMed1986

[Detection of specific IgE antibodies in veterinarians with contact urticaria].

We report on veterinarians showing itching, swelling, and urticaria on hands and arms after contact with amniotic fluid of cows and/or pigs. Scratch tests with the corresponding fluid gave positive results. RAST investigations were done with self-prepared allergen discs. In all 6 cases, the RAST on amniotic fluid was positive, correlating well with the results of the skin tests. RAST tests on sera from the cattle were positive, too, whereas tests on the epithelia remained negative. Our findings show that the allergen causing contact urticaria is a compound of amniotic fluid and serum but not of the epithelia of these animals. Thus we can conclude that sensitized veterinarians do not have to avoid all contact with these species, but we recommend special protection.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1986

[Tolerance of 3.5 percent plasma protein solution].

In a prospective study we found 112 patients out of 9549 who had been given 3.5% plasma protein solution during the preceding year but no other blood derivatives and who had not received any immunosuppressive treatment. 68 patients agreed to be tested for sensitisation to 3.5% plasma protein solution. An intracutaneous test was performed as screening test. Two patients had a false positive reaction, but one of them had urticaria factitia and therefore a positive reaction to NaCl 0.9%. The other patient showed circumscribed reddening in the early phase only, whereas later readings were negative. Neither the test of total IgE by Paper Radio Immuno Sorbent Test (PRIST) nor the test for specific IgE antibodies by Radio Allergo Sorbent Test (RAST) showed any positive results. According to these findings there was no sensitisation to 3.5% plasma protein solution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[In vitro studies of allergen activity and the depot effect of semi-depot extracts of grass pollen].

Employing two different techniques--Al-RAST and RAST inhibition test--we studied semi-depot extracts of grass pollen from six producers. On one hand, we measured the amount of allergens absorbed by Al(OH)3 gel; on the other hand, we determined the quantity of allergens solved in the aqueous phase. Furthermore, we checked up the continuous release of allergens from the depot by means of a simple in vitro model. The six different semi-depot extracts revealed different amounts of allergens in the depot (Al[OH]3) as well as in the aqueous phase. As we measured the continuous release of allergens, we found that all six extracts behaved nearly identically regarding their function as depots, but were different respecting the released amount of allergens. Summing up, it may be said that therapy extracts--analogous to previously examined test extracts--show differences with regard to their allergenic activities but very similar properties in respect to their function as depots.

Allergens↗
PubMed1978

Cross-reactivity between grass and corn pollen antigens.

Analogous reactions of grass and corn pollen extracts in skin tests on patients suffering from pollinosis might suggest an antigenic relationship between grass and corn pollens. This problem was studied using the RAST inhibition test. Tests were performed with cellulose discs labelled with commercial skin test extracts containing grass, rye, wheat, barley, oat and maize pollens. Different mutual inhibitions were measured showing various grades of antigenic relationship. Only grass pollen antigens could strongly inhibit all other antigen-antibody reactions. Thus, we suppose that the investigated grass pollen extract also contains all antigens typical of corn pollen. Therefore, exclusive use of this extract seems to be possible in diagnosis and perhaps therapy of combined grass and corn pollen allergy.

Cross Reactions↗