title: High IgE sensitization to maize and rice pollen in the highlands of Madagascar.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maize and rice are two crops constituting the main food supply in many under-developed and developing countries. Despite the large area devoted to the culture, the sensitization to the pollen from these plants is reported to be low and often considered as an occupational allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty five Malagasy pollen allergic patients were clinically and immunochemically investigated with regard to maize and rice pollen allergens. Pollen extracts were electrophoretically separated in 1 and 2 dimensions and IgE and IgG reactivities detected upon immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When exploring the sensitization profile of Malagasy allergic patients to maize and rice pollen, it appears that a high proportion of these patients consulting during grass pollinating season were sensitized to both pollen as revealed by skin prick testing (62 vs. 59%) and IgE immunoblotting (85 vs. 40%). Several clinically relevant allergens were recognized by patients' serum IgE in maize and rice pollen extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high levels of maize and rice pollen sensitization should be related, in this tropical region, to a specific environmental exposure including i) a proximity of the population to the allergenic sources and ii) a putative exacerbating effect of a highly polluted urban atmosphere on pollen allergenicity. Cross-reactivities between wild and cultivated grasses and also between rice and maize pollen are involved as well as some specific maize sensitizations. The presence of dense urban and peri-urban agriculture, in various African regions and worldwide, could be a high environmental risk factor for people sensitive to maize pollen.
authors: Sciences University, Biology and Plant Ecology Department, BP 906, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
authors: Ramavovololona
authors: Armand Trousseau Children's Hospital, Biochemistry Department, Allergy & Environment, 26 avenue du Dr Arnold Netter, 75571 Paris cedex 12, France ; Inserm, 101 rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris, France.
authors: Hélène
authors: H
authors: Sénéchal
authors: Medical University, Medecine and Medical Specialities Department, BP 375, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
authors: Ange
authors: A
authors: Andrianarisoa
authors: Sciences University, Biology and Plant Ecology Department, BP 906, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
authors: Vololona
authors: V
authors: Rakotoarimanana
authors: Laboratory of Scientific Police, 31 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 69130, Ecully, France.
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Godfrin
authors: Armand Trousseau Children's Hospital, Biochemistry Department, Allergy & Environment, 26 avenue du Dr Arnold Netter, 75571 Paris cedex 12, France ; CNRS, 75794, Paris cedex 16, France.
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Peltre
authors: Armand Trousseau Children's Hospital, Biochemistry Department, Allergy & Environment, 26 avenue du Dr Arnold Netter, 75571 Paris cedex 12, France ; Pasteur Institute, Infections & Epidemiology Department, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris cedex 15, France.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Poncet
authors: Armand Trousseau Children's Hospital, Biochemistry Department, Allergy & Environment, 26 avenue du Dr Arnold Netter, 75571 Paris cedex 12, France.
authors: Jean-Pierre
authors: JP
authors: Sutra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008270:Madagascar; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012275:Oryza / Q000276:immunology*; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult; D003313:Zea mays / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: IgE binding proteins; Madagascar; maize; pollen allergy; rice; urban and peri-urban agriculture