title: Brassica oleracea pollen, a new source of occupational allergens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vegetable pollen is a rare source of occupational allergens. Occupational allergy has only been described in the case of paprika pollen and tomato pollen. We describe a new source of occupational pollen allergy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the incidence and the impact of broccoli and cauliflower pollen allergy in employees involved in classical plant breeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four employees of five companies working with cauliflower (Brassica oleracea botrytis) and broccoli (B. oleracea italica/cymosa) pollen were eligible for complete evaluation. Allergy to cauliflower and broccoli pollen was evaluated by questionnaire and determination of sensitization by radioallergosorbent test (RAST) and skin-prick tests (SPT). SPT and RAST were performed with a panel of commercial and homemade extracts from cauliflower and broccoli pollen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Work-related symptoms such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma and urticaria caused by B. oleracea pollen were reported by 44% of the participants (24/54), of whom all but one had positive SPT for cauliflower- and/or broccoli-pollen/flower extracts and 58% (14/24) had positive RAST results. Symptoms had developed within the first 2 years in 33% of the patients. Six patients had to stop or change work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brassica oleracea pollen is a new source of occupational allergen with strong allergenic potential leading to symptoms in almost half of the exposed employees.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Hermanides
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Laheÿ-de Boer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zuidmeer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guikers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Ree
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Knulst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D001937:Brassica / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012882:Skin Tests; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens