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Control of seasonal symptoms by means of a preventive and easy to use (only one intradermal injection eight weeks before the pollen peak) immunotherapy, is recommended nowadays. We verified the clinical efficacy of E.P.D. (Enzyme Potentiated Desensibilization) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. This particular immunotherapy consists of an intradermal injection mix, made up of allergenic extracts at extremely low doses and an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. The vaccine is administered once a year, eight weeks before pollen peaks. We studied a group of 40 patients allergic to grass pollen. The results, analysed statistically on the basis of a symptoms score, showed good clinical efficacy and a significant reduction of drug consumption during the high pollen period. Due to the clinical effectiveness, easy administration (only on injection) and excellent tolerance of the immunotherapy, E.P.D. is particularly suited for the prevention of seasonal symptoms in patients allergic to grass pollen.

Environmental control, especially means for blocking the release into the air of mite allergens embedded in padded furniture (mattress, pillows), represents the first important step in the treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases. New to the market is a home hygiene spray that creates a protective barrier on padded furniture and is thereby able to contain the dispersion into the air of allergic particles. We tested the effectiveness of the spray in vitro. Since mites, especially D. Pteronyssinus, are considered the foremost allergens, we verified the ability of the invisible barrier to impede the diffusion of the allergen and the mobile forms of these mites (Der p 1, Der 2). The product under exam created a barrier that totally blocked the passage of mobile forms and almost totally prevented the passage of allergens (> 99%).

Studies over 10 yr have demonstrated local nasal immunotherapy (LNIT) to be an effective treatment for rhinitis due to pollens and mites. The aim of our work was to investigate the effects of LNIT on the local inflammatory phenomena, employing the model of nasal allergenic challenge, since no evidence has been yet provided about LNIT effects on the events due to allergic reactions. We evaluated, in addition, the possible effects of LNIT on some systemic immunologic parameters and its clinical efficacy. The study involved a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of preseasonal immunotherapy with Parietaria in 20 adults. A significant reduction of symptoms, inflammatory infiltration, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression on epithelial cells after nasal challenge was evidence as long-lasting effect. No changes in serum allergen-specific IgE, IgG, and soluble eosinophil cationic protein were detected, whereas an unexpected increase of soluble ICAM-1 was found in the placebo group only. The treatment was well tolerated and a significant clinical improvement under natural allergenic exposure was observed in the active group. The present study provides, for the first time, evidence that LNIT is able to modulate the nasal allergic inflammation.

R.I.A. dosages of specific IgE antibodies to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae (house dust mites), Acarus siro, Lepidoglyphus destructor, and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (storage mites) in 467 unselected patients were statistically analyzed. A significant noncorrelation between specific IgE antibodies to storage mites and those to house dust mites has been found, suggesting that storage mites have their own allergenic specificity.

A method for standardizing the antigenic activity of allergen extracts is proposed, making use of a rabbit antiserum. A dilution of the latter is selected which is inhibited by the allergen extract. The antigenic activity is then evaluated by radioimmunoassay with 125I-labeled protein A from Staphylococcus aureus as tracer.