title: Prevalence of Skin Sensitization to Pollen of Date Palm in Marrakesh, Morocco.
abstract: Background. Date palm's pollen has been identified as a source of allergy; the rate of sensitization of this pollen is between 6 and 29%.Objective. To determine the prevalence of sensitization to date palm in Marrakesh and to identify the clinical profile.Patients and Methods. This study is based on a questionnaire and the prick test on 7 allergens, in population aged 5 years and above with clinical symptoms suggesting allergic diseases, from November 2012 to February 2013 in Marrakech.Results. We included 468 patients (women: 79.5%). The prick tests were considered interpretable in 467 cases. The prevalence of skin sensitization to pollen of date palm was 6.6%. The 31 cases of sensitization to date palm involved 7 men and 24 women with an average age of 37.5 years. Cutaneous monosensitization to date palm's pollen was observed in 2 cases. Asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis were recorded, respectively, in 48.4%, 93.5%, and 67.7%.Conclusion. Skin sensitization to pollen of date palm does not seem unusual among allergic patients in Marrakech and is comparable to that found in Casablanca (7%), Barcelona (6.6%), and Cartagena (6.1%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology-Allergology, Arrazy Hospital and Mohammed VI University Hospital, PCIM Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hind
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8493-6866
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Serhane
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology-Allergology, Arrazy Hospital and Mohammed VI University Hospital, PCIM Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.
authors.forename: Lamyae
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Amro
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology-Allergology, Arrazy Hospital and Mohammed VI University Hospital, PCIM Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hafsa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sajiai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology-Allergology, Arrazy Hospital and Mohammed VI University Hospital, PCIM Laboratory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.
authors.forename: Abdelhaq
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alaoui Yazidi