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Flaxseed is an emerging allergen, and a detailed clinical history is crucial for diagnosis. Flaxseed allergens identified are associated with severe reactions. Providing clear advice on food avoidance might be challenging as there are no reports of clinical cross-reactivity to other foods published., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of PBJ-Associação Porto Biomedical/Porto Biomedical Society.)

We present the case of a patient with antecedent of tree nuts allergy who developed an anaphylactic reaction after ingesting a piece chocolate. An allergy study detected sensitization to cocoa in skin tests as well as cross-reactivity with tree nuts in the SDS-PAGE immunoblotting-inhibition., Competing Interests: None., (© 2024 The Authors. Clinical Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aniseed is a spice native to the eastern Mediterranean region. Cases of simultaneous hypersensitivity to celery, mugwort pollen, and spices of the Umbelliferae family have been described as the celery-mugwort-spices syndrome. We report a case of aniseed-induced tongue angioedema. Skin prick tests to foods proved positive only to aniseed. Serum-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E determination by enzyme allergosorbent test was 0.4 kU/L to aniseed extract and 0.6 kU/L to tare and cumin seeds. The molecular mass of the IgE-binding proteins studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) immunoblotting revealed a broad IgE-binding band of 12.9-13.7 kd in aniseed and tare extract assays and a broad band of 15-17.5 kd in cumin extract. This is the first case of type I hypersensitivity due to aniseed liqueur ingestion reported. SDS-PAGE immunoblotting study showed a broad specific IgE-binding band of 12.9-13.7 kd when aniseed extract was incubated with the patient's serum; this band might correspond to the protein responsible for the described symptoms.

Unlabelled: Contact with pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) induces dermatitis usually located in exposed areas through a toxic-irritative mechanism. Over the last few years an immediate hypersensitivity mechanism have mainly been demonstrated in adult patients. However, there are few studies carried out in children., Objective: To evaluate a group of 16 children who experienced allergic reactions after exposure to pine processionary caterpillar., Patients and Methods: All patients underwent allergy testing through skin prick test. Serum specific IgE determination was performed by EAST technique. The molecular mass of the IgE -binding bands was studied by SDS-PAGE Immunoblotting., Results: Skin prick test with the caterpillar extract was positive in all patients. Specific IgE was positive (higher than 0.35 kU/L) in 15 patients' sera. Western blotting showed several IgE-binding bands with molecular mass values ranging from 17.5 to 168 kDa. Electrophoretic mobility of some of the relevant allergens was related to the conditions of sample preparation (reduced or non-reduced)., Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate the existence of an allergic IgE-mediated mechanism caused by pine processionary caterpillar proteins. Airborne urticating hairs of this animal should be considered as seasonal inhalant allergen, which is able to induce allergic pathologies in children who frequent pine areas.

Background: Aniseed is a spice frequently used in Mediterranean cooking and, as with other Umbelliferae, it has been involved in clinical allergy., Objective: This investigation was undertaken to study the allergens implicated in a case of occupational allergy to aniseed associated with rhinoconjunctivitis and gastrointestinal symptoms., Methods: Skin prick tests were performed to inhalant allergens, spices used in the patient's workplace (aniseed and cinnamon), and 12 other Umbelliferae spices, birch, and mugwort. A nasal challenge test to aniseed and cinnamon and a double-blind placebo-controlled oral food challenge test to aniseed were also performed. The molecular weights of the allergens were studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoblotting and cross-reactivity among Umbelliferae species by enzyme immunoassay inhibition., Results: Skin prick tests showed a positive immediate response to aniseed, asparagus, caraway, coriander, cumin, dill, and fennel extracts, and an intense late response to aniseed. Skin prick tests to celery, carrot, birch pollen, and mugwort pollen extracts were negative. Results of a nasal challenge test were positive to aniseed and negative to cinnamon; an aniseed oral food challenge test yielded a positive response. The molecular weights of the main immunoglobulin (Ig)E-binding proteins in aniseed extracts were approximately 48, 42, 39, 37, 34, 33, and 20 kD. Caraway, fennel, cumin, and coriander extracts showed similar IgE-binding patterns. Enzyme immunoassay inhibition studies with the patient's serum revealed cross-reactivity among the IgE components from aniseed, caraway, coriander, fennel, and dill extracts., Conclusions: We demonstrate the presence of aniseed allergens in a case of occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and food allergy, with molecular weights for this spice that differed from those previously reported.