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Background and Objective Due to the increasing popularity of exotic fruits in the Western diet, allergologists are confronted with allergic reactions to substances in these plants. The present report describes an anaphylactic reaction after the consumption of lychee fruit (Litchi sinensis). The atopic patient also suffers from rhinoconjunctivitis due to a sensitization against pollen of the Compositae family, as well as from dyspnoea after eating sunflower seeds. Our goals were to determine crossreactivity between antibodies against lychee fruit and other plants and to characterize the allergen. Methods and results Specific IgE against lychee fruits were detected by an EAST assay. The allergen was characterized by immunoblot, immunoblot inhibition and EAST inhibition assays. Broad crossreactivity between lychee fruit and other plants was found and profilin identified as the protein responsible for the patient s complex allergy syndrome. Conclusion Lychee fruit contains a significant amount of profilin. Consumption of this exotic fruit can cause severe anaphylactic reactions in patients being sensitized against the plant pan-allergen profilin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the correction for an error in the reproduction of the figures and their corresponding legends in the journal "Clinical and Experimental Allergy," vol. 26.

This article describes an anaphylactic reaction due to a wheatburger that was contaminated with buckwheat. A 40-year-old atopic female druggist with mild hay fever in the past and a known occupational respiratory allergy to inhaled buckwheat flour, presented to the casuality ward with an anaphylactic reaction after a meal at a local restaurant. She felt an immediate heat sensation on her neck, swelling of her hands and generalized urticaria after eating three bites. In the emergency room she responded to intravenous corticosteroids and antihistamines.

Announces the Professor Hans Storck Scientific Award of Sfr. 10 000 by the Organizing Committee of the Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology in Zurich, Switzerland.