title: Allergy to pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) in children.
abstract: Contact with pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) induces dermatitis usually located in exposed areas through a toxic-irritative mechanism. Over the last few years an immediate hypersensitivity mechanism have mainly been demonstrated in adult patients. However, there are few studies carried out in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a group of 16 children who experienced allergic reactions after exposure to pine processionary caterpillar.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent allergy testing through skin prick test. Serum specific IgE determination was performed by EAST technique. The molecular mass of the IgE -binding bands was studied by SDS-PAGE Immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skin prick test with the caterpillar extract was positive in all patients. Specific IgE was positive (higher than 0.35 kU/L) in 15 patients' sera. Western blotting showed several IgE-binding bands with molecular mass values ranging from 17.5 to 168 kDa. Electrophoretic mobility of some of the relevant allergens was related to the conditions of sample preparation (reduced or non-reduced).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrate the existence of an allergic IgE-mediated mechanism caused by pine processionary caterpillar proteins. Airborne urticating hairs of this animal should be considered as seasonal inhalant allergen, which is able to induce allergic pathologies in children who frequent pine areas.
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Madrid, Spain. vfuentesaparicio@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fuentes Aparicio
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zapatero Remón
authors.forename: M Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Martínez Molero
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alonso Lebreros
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Beitia Mazuecos
authors.forename: Borja
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bartolomé Zavala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000209:etiology; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006636:Histamine Release; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000209:etiology; D012882:Skin Tests; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014581:Urticaria / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D014020:Tissue Extracts; D007073:Immunoglobulin E