Allergy to pigeon tick (Argas reflexus): demonstration of specific IgE-binding components.
BACKGROUND
The European tick, Argas reflexus, is an urban pest parasitizing urban pigeons and may cause a wide range of allergic reactions.


METHODS
Specific IgE to A. reflexus, SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblotting, performed with tick extract, were carried out in the sera of 6 patients who reported allergic reactions after tick bite.


RESULTS
Specific IgE to A. reflexus (RAST class ranging from 1 to 3) were detected in the sera of 6 patients who reported allergic reactions (urticaria and angioedema in 2 and anaphylaxis in the other 4 patients) after tick bite. IgE reactivity to two bands of 22 and 40 kDa were identified in the patient sera.


CONCLUSIONS
Allergy to A. reflexus has to be considered in allergic patients living in buildings where pigeons have their nests. The powerful sensitizing property of tick allergen is underlined by the observation that none of our patients was atopic.
Rolla
Giovanni
G
Allergologia e Immunologia Clinica, Universita di Torino e Ospedale Mauriziano Umberto I di Torino, Torino, Italy. grolla@mauriziano.it
Nebiolo
Franco
F
Marsico
Pietro
P
Guida
Giuseppe
G
Bigo
Patrizia
P
Riva
Graziella
G
Zanotta
Stefania
S
D000328:Adult; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D026864:Argas / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D010856:Columbidae / Q000469:parasitology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*
D007073:Immunoglobulin E