J Invest Allerg Clin
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J Invest Allerg Clin · Jan 2007
Case ReportsAnaphylaxis caused by imported red fire ant stings in Málaga, Spain.
A 27-year-old woman suffered from anaphylaxis after being stung by Solenopsis invicta ants while she was handling wood from South America. The patient reported no previous adverse reactions to stings by other hymenopteran species. Intradermal skin tests with hymenoptera venom (Vespula vulgaris, Polistes species, Apis melifera) were negative. ⋯ Immunodetection assays showed the presence of serum IgE against the Sol i 2 allergen. The patient had probably been stung previously although inadvertently by red fire ants while she handled infested wood from South America, and precautionary measures are thus advisable when this material is to be handled. To our knowledge this is the first case of anaphylaxis from red fire ant stings reported in Europe.
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J Invest Allerg Clin · Jan 2007
Duration of asthma and lung function in life-long nonsmoking adults.
The airways of adult or elderly asthmatics are likely candidates for airway remodeling, resulting in persistent airflow obstruction. This population can provide a good model for cross-sectional evaluation of the effect of asthma duration on airflow. ⋯ Our data show a close relationship between duration of disease and loss of lung function, supporting the concept of asthma as a slow, progressive disease at least among those patients with a mild-to-moderate severity. Permanent airflow obstruction in mild or moderate asthma is unusual, but can occur in a small number suffering from the disease for years.
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J Invest Allerg Clin · Jan 2007
Clinical TrialAssessment of a new brand of determinants for skin testing in a large group of patients with suspected beta-lactam allergy.
Skin testing with major and minor determinants of benzylpenicillin is recommended standard practice for the evaluation of patients with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to beta-lactams. However, commercial reagents for this purpose were recently dropped from the European market. ⋯ Our results indicate that a new brand of determinants that is commercially available in Europe is a reliable and useful tool for the diagnosis of beta-lactam allergy. The new reagents are a safe alternative to the previously available brand.
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J Invest Allerg Clin · Jan 2007
Serum interleukins 12 and 18 and immunoglobulin E concentrations and allergic symptoms in Japanese schoolchildren.
There is considerable concern about the rising trend in the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases. The ability to monitor this trend would be enhanced by the use of a biological marker for these diseases. ⋯ These results suggest that serum IL-18 levels are associated with allergic symptoms in children, independent of serum IgE levels. Thus, serum IL-18 may be a useful biological marker of these diseases.