The Perennial Pattern of Clinical Symptoms in Children Monosensitized to Olea europaea Pollen Allergens in Comparison with Subjects with Parietaria and Gramineae Pollinosis

Abstract

Because the pediatric age represents a good model to study the correlation between the exposure to allergens and development of respiratory allergy, we investigated the occurrence of a perennial type of symptomatology in children monosensitized to Olea europaea (O.e.) pollen allergens compared with subjects with monosensitization to Parietaria (P) and Gramineae (G) in order to confirm our previous observations in adults. We selected a group of 52 children with rhinitis and/or bronchial asthma and a SPT positivity only to pollens (30 to P, 15 to G, and 7 to O.e.). Using commercially available allergenic extracts and reagents, the following diagnostic procedures were performed: skin prick test (SPT), specific IgE assays (RAST), nonspecific bronchial provocation test (NsBPT) and specific nasal provocation test (sNPT), respectively, in patients with bronchial asthma and rhinitis. Pollen counts and a statistical analysis using Spearman's correlation test were also carried out. Six of seven children with monosensitization to O.e. allergens showed a perennial pattern of symptoms in comparison to 7 of 23 and 3 of 12, respectively, in subjects with P and G pollinosis. All patients with perennial nasal symptoms of O.e. group exhibited a late nasal response after sNPT. Although these findings on nasal response may partially explain the occurrence of a prolonged inflammation of the nose induced by O.e. allergens, we think that other possibilities could be investigated. In our opinion, further studies are necessary using better purified and standardized diagnostic materials and, moreover, a greater number of O.e. monosensitized children living in other geographical areas need to be examined for a comparison of our results with theirs.

Sensitization to rodents (mouse/rat) in urban atopic populations without occupational exposure living in Campania district (Southern Italy): a multicenter study

“…In this previous study it is likely that allergic sensitization to rodents in subjects without direct exposure could be induced by these mechanisms. In the present study dust mites, Parietaria , grasses, Olea europaea , pet danders respectively represent the main associated sensitizing agents (Figure 1), and this finding is in agreement with our previous reports [39,40]. In this case it is likely that a consistent percentage of allergic sensitization to M/Rt could be induced by a true exposure to allergens since environmental conditions are much favourable for the presence of rodents indoors.…”

Pollen‐related allergy in Europe*

“…In pollinosis patients of the Naples area, monosensitization to olive pollen was identified in only 1.33% of children and in 2.28% of adults; in all the remaining patients, sensitization to olive pollen was associated with other allergens, mainly derived from pollen grains (69). Interestingly, children and adults with monosensitization to olive who live in the Naples area are frequently affected by year-long symptoms that usually do not increase during the olive-pollen season (80,81). A similar finding has recently been described in Spanish patients (82), and could be due to differing allergenic contents of olive cultivars, as demonstrated in Israel (83,84).…”

The increasing trend of seasonal respiratory allergy in urban areas

“…As a consequence, sensitivity to the pollen of one species may favour development of sensitivity to all four species in susceptible subjects. In addition there is a perennial pattern of clinical symptoms in patients, adults and children, monosensitized to Olea europaea pollen allergens in comparison with subjects with Gramineae and Parietaria pollinosis (13).…”