title: No poinsettia this Christmas.
abstract: Poinsettia is one of the most delightful decorations during the Christmas season. Natural rubber latex and poinsettia share some common allergen proteins. Hence, people with latex allergy may develop cross-reactivity with poinsettia. We report the case of a 50-year-old white female with a history of latex allergy, who developed a skin rash due to exposure to the poinsettia plant. The patient was admitted to the hospital for evaluation of near syncope. Her diagnostic workup was normal. She received a poinsettia plant from a friend during hospitalization. Because of her latex allergy, we carried out an extensive research of literature which revealed a cross-reactivity between latex allergy and poinsettia. The rash responded well to systemic antihistaminic treatment and removal of the plant from the room.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga Unit, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA. tripura_m@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tripura Mantha
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bala
authors.forename: Mukta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panda
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D003429:Cross Reactions; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D028481:Euphorbia / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D010940:Plant Proteins