title: Where to prick the apple for skin testing?
abstract: Mal d 1 is not equally distributed over the apple. We aimed to examine the influence of the location of pricking in the apple on prick-to-prick skin prick test (PTP) results. PTPs were performed in autumn 2007 and spring 2008, before the birch pollen season, in 32 Dutch adults with symptoms of oral allergy to fresh apple, using apples harvested in autumn 2007. PTPs with fresh intact and unpeeled Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Elise, Santana and Modi apples were performed using material obtained from approximately 2 cm near the stalk (top), and the middle region. All PTP responses were greater when performed with apple material near the stalk than from the middle region. In 2007, these differences were statistically significant for Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Elise, and in 2008, for Pink Lady and Modi. When performing PTPs, the apple should be pricked near the stalk rather than in the middle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Vlieg-Boerstra
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: van de Weg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Heide
authors.forename: A E J
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Dubois
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D027845:Malus / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D052179:Antigens, Plant; C095551:MALD1 protein, Malus domestica; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: apple allergy; oral allergy syndrome; skin prick tests