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Background Contact urticaria ( CU) and protein contact dermatitis ( PCD) are mainly induced by an immediate, Ig E-mediated immunological mechanism. Immediate sensitization is also linked to asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. Objectives To report causes of work-induced CU and PCD, and to evaluate the occurrence of concomitant airway diseases. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the patient files of cases diagnosed with CU or PCD at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health during 1995-2011. We obtained data on occupation, exposures, clinical and immunological test results, and diagnosed occupational skin and respiratory diseases. Results Altogether, 291 cases of occupational CU or PCD were diagnosed during the study period. The most common causes were flour, cow dander, natural rubber latex and acid anhydrides. Concomitant occupational asthma caused by the same agent as the skin disease was detected in 60 patients (21%), and occupational rhinitis was detected in 111 patients (38%). Conclusions Almost half of the patients (46%) with occupational CU and PCD had concomitant occupational airway disease. Patients with CU/ PCD should always be asked about respiratory symptoms, and preventive measures at the workplace should include protection of both the skin and the airways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dog dander is an important cause of respiratory allergy but its content of allergenic components is still incompletely known. While Can f 1, 2, 3 and 5 have been studied in detail, only fragmentary information is available on the lipocalin Can f 4. Objective To purify, clone and characterize dog dander allergen Can f 4. Methods Can f 4 was purified from dog dander extract by size exclusion, ion exchange and reverse phase chromatography. A cDNA encoding Can f 4 was cloned and used to produce recombinant Can f 4 in Escherichia coli. A 23 kDa protein from cow dander, displaying cross-reactivity with Can f 4, was purified and identified by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. IgE antibody binding to dog and cow dander extract and to individual dog allergens among 37 dog allergic subjects and 44 pollen allergic controls was studied using ImmunoCAP. Results A dog genome segment containing the Can f 4 gene was bioinformatically identified and enabled the cloning of Can f 4 cDNA. Recombinant Can f 4 displayed close immunological and biochemical similarity to purified natural Can f 4 and bound IgE antibodies from 13/37 (35%) sera of dog allergic subjects. Can f 4 reactive sera showed IgE binding to a 23 kDa protein present in cow dander extract, related to a family of odorant-binding proteins. The dog and cow proteins shared 37% sequence identity and their cross-reactivity was demonstrated by IgE inhibition experiments. Conclusion Recombinant Can f 4 brings the panel of available dog allergens closer to completion and will be important in component-resolved diagnostics in allergy to animal epithelial allergens. Cite this as: L. Mattsson, T. Lundgren, P. Olsson, M. Sundberg and J. Lidholm, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 1276–1287. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on occupational contact urticaria (protein contact dermatitis included) in Finland during 1990-1994 were analyzed. Altogether 815 cases were reported to the Finnish Register of Occupational Diseases during this period, compared with 1944 cases of occupational allergic contact dermatitis. Accordingly, the total number of occupational allergic contact dermatoses was 2759, 29.5% being contact urticaria and 70.5% being allergic contact dermatitis. Occupational contact urticaria was much more common in women (70%) than in men (30%). The 6 most common causes of contact urticaria were (1) cow dander (362 cases=44.4%), (2) natural rubber latex (193 cases= 23.7%), (3) flour, grains and feed (92 cases=11.3%), (4) handling of foodstuffs (25 cases=3.1%), (5) industrial enzymes (14 cases=1.7%) and (6) decorative plants (13 cases=1.6%). The occupations with the highest numbers of occupational contact urticaria were farmers (341 cases), domestic animal attendants (61), bakers (53), nurses (42), chefs (40) and dental assistants (28). The ranking list of the most common occupations with occupational contact urticaria per 100,000 employed workers was as follows: (1) bakers (140.5 cases per 100,000 employed persons), (2) preparers of processed food, (3) dental assistants, (4) veterinary surgeons, (5) domestic animal attendants, (6) farmers and silviculturalists, (7) chefs, cooks and cold buffet managers, (8) dairy workers, (9) horticultural supervisors, (10) laboratory technicians and radiographers, (11) physicians, (12) butchers and sausage makers, (13) laboratory assistants, (14) dentists and (15) nurses (21.2 cases per 100,000 employed person). Low-molecular-weight chemicals caused very few cases of occupational contact urticaria, the most common being 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (5 cases). To summarize, occupational contact urticaria forms a large group of occupational contact dermatoses, and dermatologists need to be able to diagnose IgE-mediate skin allergic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferative responsiveness to cow dander antigens of lymphocytes from 23 asthmatic patients with allergy to cow hair and dander, from 10 patients with allergic asthma to other antigens and from 31 non-atopic subjects was investigated. Lymphocytes from patients with allergic asthma due to cow epithelium antigens showed a statistically significant decreased responsiveness to an extract from cow dander, compared to that seen with lymphocytes from newborn infants, lymphocytes from normal controls and from asthmatic patients without allergy to cow. The response to the cow dander extract seemed to be an accessory cell dependent T lymphocyte response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity and quality of antigen-specific IgE against purified major allergens from cow hair and dander was measured by a double-antibody radioimmunoassay. In serum from patients with allergic asthma to cow the affinity constant varied from 1 to 150 × 109 l/mol and the number of antibody combining sites from 0.01 to 0.4 × 10-9 mol/l serum for each antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative immunoelectrophoretic methods were used for the analysis of the allergens in cow hair and dander and for comparison with related preparations. The immunoelectrophoretic precipitation pattern of an extract from cow hair and dander showed 17 precipitates. Crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis showed four of these to be major allergens of the extract, and these allergens are common major allergens in four investigated cow breeds. The allergens are associated predominantly with hair and dander, but they were also demonstrated in cow saliva, urine, whey, amniotic fluid and beef, as well as in cow-hide products. Allergens displaying partial immunological identity with the major allergens of cow hair and dander were found in extracts from goat and sheep pelts, in products made of these materials such as carpet and knitting wool, and in carpets made of animal hair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative immunoelectrophoresis used for the analysis of a diaivsed. cemrifuged and trceze-dried extract irom cow hair and dander revealed 17 antigens. Five of these were identified as serum proteins. Partial identity to antigens of serum and extract from hair and dander of goat, sheep, swine, horse, dog, cat and guinea pig, and to antigens of house dust was demonstrated. Sera from 36 patients with manifest allergy to cow hair and dander selected on the basis of case history, RAST, skin and provocation test, were examined in crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis (CRIE); sera from five persons with high serum IgE, but without allergy to cow hair and dander, and sera from five normal individuals were controls. 31/36 of the sera contained IgE with specific affinity for two of the antigens of the extract. Further, two major and six minor allergens were identified. The control sera showed no specific IgE binding. A significant positive correlation was found between RAST and CRIE for the first group of patients. The approximate molecular weights of the four major allergens obtained by means of gel chromatography were; 2.4 × 104, 2× 104, 2×104 dalton, respectively Using Con-A and Con-A Sepharose in crossed immunoaffinoelectrophoresis, eight of the antigens were revealed to contain groups with affinity for Con-A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]