Contact allergy to the Asteraceae plant Ambrosia artemisiifolia L (ragweed) in sesquiterpene lactone-sensitive patients in southern Sweden.
Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. a classical cause of ragweed dermatitis in North America, is also found in Europe. 17 patients with contact allergy to sesquiterpene lactone (SL) mix were recalled for patch testing with extracts of North American and Swedish ragweed, the latter harvested in summer and autumn. 8/17 patients were test-positive to the American extract, 14/17 to the Swedish summer extract and 15/17 to the autumn extract. All patients except 1 were found to have a chronic hand eczema of the pompholyx type. 5/16 hand eczema patients had a flare-up of their pompholyx at patch testing. We concluded that patients with SL mix allergy are allergic to American as well as to Swedish ragweed. Pompholyx seems to be a frequent clinical picture in patients with SL mix allergy.
Möller
Halvor
H
Department of Dermatology, Lund University, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. halvor.moller@derm.ms.lu.se
Spirén
Anna
A
Svensson
Ake
A
Gruvberger
Birgitta
B
Hindsén
Monica
M
Bruze
Magnus
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D031164:Ambrosia / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007783:Lactones / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000485:Allergens; D007783:Lactones