Occupational allergy to bromelain diagnosis by skin tests and radio allergo sorbent test
Meregalli, G.; Brambilla, G.; Vangosa, G.B.; Cortona, G.; Falagiani, P.; Marchisio, M.; Morlacchi, C.; Nava, C.; Redaelli, M.L.; Toffoletto, F.
Folia Allergologica et Immunologica Clinica 28(3): 265-271
1981
Accession: 006016146
By skin tests and RAST [radioallergosorbent test] the pathophysiological mechanism of the symptoms occurring among the workers of a pharmaceutical industry is studied. The research refers to 25 risk-exposed patients in the above mentioned industry, where pills containing bromelain are manufactured, and to 10 check patients. Hypersensitive reactions were found in 11 cases: 7 patients suffering from asthma (3 had been suffering for less than a year, 4 for several years), 4 from oculorhinitis, while 6 patients, who were no longer in contact with the enzyme, were nonsymptomatic at the time of the research, but had previously suffered from asthma and/or oculorhinitis connected with exposure to bromelain. Eight patients were non-symptomatic. The method of execution of skin tests and bromelain RAST is described, and a meaning correlation is demonstrated between symptoms, RAST and skin tests: 75% symptomatic patients with positive skin test were also RAST positive, 100% non-symptomatic patients with negative skin test were RAST negative and 100% RAST positive patients were symptomatic or were previously.