These results strongly indicate that 1) date-palm fruit is a potent allergen 2) sera from fruit-allergic as well as pollen-allergic patients recognize common fruit-specific epitopes 3) there is heterogeneity in patient responses to the different extracts.

No abstract

We studied 12 children who presented with a recently recognized syndrome. The salient features of this new syndrome were recurrent fever; hepatosplenomegaly; pancytopenia: blond, golden to silvery gray hair; hypopigmented skin, progressive white maller demyelination; and early death. Seven patients died, four with severe central nervous system (CNS) involvement, and three with bone marrow failure and sepsis. Cutaneous anergy to recall antigens was present in all patients. Other immunological abnormalities were poor antibody Allergy Proc. istic distribution of melanin with melanocytes present in normal numbers but with fewer short dendritic processes. Langerhans' cells were present in normal numbers in some patients and sparse in others. This syndrome seems to cluster into two tribes from two d(fferent geographical areas in the ArabianPeninsula. In the eight families studied, 12 other siblings and close relatives were found to be affected. The mode of inheritance in this syndrome is that of an autosomal recessive pattern. We propose the term "PAID syndrome" to identify patients with the above features. (Allergy Proc 13, 6: 321-328, 1992)

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is generally believed to be rare or nonexistent in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this report is to document the occurrence of CF in Saudi Arabia. Thirteen Saudi children were diagnosed as having CF, evidenced by typical clinical features and elevated sweat chloride concentrations (greater than 60 mmol/l). Duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis varied from 1 month-5 years (mean 23 months). The main clinical manifestations of the children were abdominal distention, failure to thrive, steatorrhoea, hepatomegaly, rectal prolapse and recurrent respiratory infections, often with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, eight patients with symptoms and a family history highly suggestive of CF, but without confirmatory sweat test results are presented. We hope that this report will increase the awareness of CF and ensure an earlier diagnosis of the disease in Saudi Arabia.

The IgE-binding components of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) pollen were determined by ELISA and Western blotting in atopic patients in order to identify its major allergens. From a pool of previously identified allergenic fractions and sera from 15 skin-test-positive, atopic subjects, four components of 12, 14.4, 57, and 65-67 kDa were found to bind IgE in 80-93% of sera. Two other components of molecular masses 28-30 and 37-40 kDa also bound 60-80% of atopic sera. The immunologic specificity of date-pollen allergen that induced antibody response in sera of atopic patients was confirmed with ELISA. Furthermore, most of the reactivity in pooled positive atopic serum and antiserum raised in rabbits was eliminated after the sera were absorbed with the allergen. IgG immunoblot analyses showed varying degrees of cross-reactivity with common local allergens, notably Bermuda grass, but were generally of low intensity. These results indicate that date pollen has six major allergens with the 12, 14.4, 57, and 65-67 kDa bands binding 80-93%, and the 28-30 and 37-40 kDa bands 60-80% of atopic sera. We propose that these major allergens be assigned the notations "Pho d I" to "Pho d VI" in the order listed.