Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BackgroundType I allergy represents a severe health problem in industrialized countries where up to 20% of the population suffers from allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and allergic asthma bronchiale and in severe cases from anaphylaxis, leading to death.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate recombinant Bet v 1, the major birch pollen allergen for in vivo and in vitro diagnosis of birch pollen allergy.MethodsA group of 51 birch pollen allergic patients and eight non-allergic control individuals were tested for birch pollen allergy by skin-prick and intradermal testing, comparing commercial birch pollen extracts with recombinant Bet v 1. Quantitative and qualitative serological testing was done with natural and recombinant allergens by radioallergosorbent test (RAST), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting.ResultsRecombinant Bet v 1 allowed accurate in vivo and in vitro diagnosis of tree pollen allergy in 49/51 patients tested. No false positive results were obtained in any in vitro assay system (ELISA, Westernblot) or by skin testing (skin-prick, intradermal test) with recombinant Bet v 1.ConclusionOur results document that recombinant Bet v 1 produced in bacterial expression systems allows accurate in vitro and in vivo diagnosis of birch pollen allergy in > 95% of birch pollen allergic patients.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)

Publication Date

09/1996

Volume

50

Pages

632 - 640

Addresses

Institut für Allgemeine und Experimentelle Pathologie, AKH, Universität Wien, Osterreich.

Keywords

Humans, Pollen, Trees, Asthma, Respiratory Hypersensitivity, Hypersensitivity, Immediate, Immunoglobulin E, Immunoglobulin G, Plant Proteins, Recombinant Proteins, Allergens, Intradermal Tests, Antibody Specificity, Adult, Aged, Middle Aged, Female, Male, Antigens, Plant