Sensitivity to Parietaria pollen in the Southampton area as determined by skin‐prick and RAST tests

Abstract

Summary The pollen of Parietaria species is a well‐recognized and important inhalant allergen in the Mediterranean area. Parietaria judaica (Pellitory‐of‐the‐Wall) is native to the U.K., flowering from June to September, but is not usually considered to be of any clinical importance by U.K. allergists. We skin tested 62 patients with a clinical history of summer seasonal respiratory symptoms and a control group of 11 patients with perennial respiratory symptoms only. Each was skin tested in duplicate with extracts of grass pollen, birch pollen, Parietaria pollen, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Cladosporium, Alternaria, nettle pollen and negative and positive controls, and serum samples were collected for RAST assays for Parietaria and nettle. Eight of the 62 patients in the main group showed skin reactivity to Parietaria. Five of these eight had never visited the Mediterranean area and therefore it is possible that sensitization occurred in the U.K. Thirteen of the 62 patients were skin reactive to nettle but there was no correlation between skin reactivity to Parietaria and nettle. This supports a recent report that, despite their close botanical relationship, no antigenic cross‐reactivity exists between the two species. No correlation was seen between skin reactivity and serum RAST activity to Parietaria or nettle. It is not known whether exposure to Parietaria pollen contributes to the seasonal symptoms of the patients found to be skin reactive. None of the 11 patients in the control group was skin reactive to Parietaria.

Skin prick tests and specific IgE in adults from three different areas of Sweden

“…Because of the botanic similarity, it was not possible to determine whether Parietariu pollens were present or whether there were pollens from nettles alone, which are the most common pollens from the Urticaceae family in the north of Europe. Although nettles and Purieturin belong to the same botanic family, there is no antigenic crossreactivity (32). Purieturiu pollen grains are small and may be transported over long distances.…”

Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) 2008*

“…The grasses pollinate at the end of spring and beginning of summer, but, in some places such as Southern California or Florida, they are spread throughout the year. Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) do not usually cross-react with other grasses (363); • weeds such as the Compositeae plants: mugwort (Artemisia) and ragweed (Ambrosia; 364-366), Parietaria, not only in the Mediterranean area (367)(368)(369)(370)(371)(372)(373), Chenopodium and Salsola in some desert areas (374), weeds such as ragweed flower at the end of summer and beginning of autumn. Parietaria often pollinates over a long period of time (March-November) and is considered as a perennial pollen; • and trees: the birch (Betula), other Betulaceae (375)(376)(377)(378)(379)(380)(381), Oleaceae including the ash (Fraxinus) and olive tree (Olea europea; 382-384), the oak (Quercus), the plane tree (Platanus; 385,386) and Cupressaceae including the cypress tree (Cupressus; 387-392), junipers (Juniperus; 393), thuyas (394), the Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica; 395) and the mountain cedar (Juniperus ashei; 396, 397).…”

A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of local nasal immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis to Parietaria pollen

“…Parietaria pollen allergens are one of the most common causes of pollinosis in the Mediterranean area and the first in southern Italy (8,10,11,12,13). However, this plant has also been identified in other European countries [14], as well as in the USA [15] and in Australia [16]. Its allergens induce sometimes severe nasal and bronchial symptoms on account of their very high atmospheric concentrations, very strong allergenic properties and the long period of pollination.…”