Precipitation of food allergy reactions is well known in some patients with pollinosis when they consume natural food, such as honey or camomile tea. We present 9 patients with hay fever, with or without asthma, who experienced systemic allergic reactions after ingestion of natural honeys from two local areas (Andujar and Granada) and/or camomile tea. Pollen analysis showed a high level in sunflower pollen (23.6% of pollen grains) in the honey from Andujar but not in that from Granada. The diagnosis of food and respiratory allergy was based on history, skin prick tests and specific IgE activity against pollen from Compositae. Conjunctival challenge with camomile extract also gave positive results. The above allergological tests and the inhibition studies carried out, suggest that pollen of Compositae may be responsible for allergic reactions to certain natural foods and that the reactions are mediated by an IgE-related mechanism.

Background Allergy to olive pollen is one of the primary causes of allergic asthma in Spain. Even though allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has shown clinical benefits in patients sensitized to different allergens, studies in asthmatic patients sensitized to olive pollen are insufficient. Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of an ultra-short course of AIT with an L-tyrosine-adsorbed and monophosphoryl lipid A-adjuvanted olive pollen and olive/grass pollen extract (Pollinex Quattro®) in patients with allergic asthma in the real-world setting. Methods Retrospective, controlled study including patients with asthma, with and without allergic rhinitis, caused by sensitization to olive pollen from 11 centers in Spain. Patients received out-of-season (October–March) treatment with AIT in addition to their pharmacological treatment (active group) or pharmacological treatment (control group). Effectiveness variables, including unscheduled visits to the healthcare center, emergency room admissions, symptoms of asthma and rhinitis (following GEMA and ARIA classifications, respectively), and use of medication to treat asthma and rhinitis during the subsequent pollen season were compared between treatment groups. Results Of 131 study patients, 42 were treated with their usual asthma medication (control group) and 89 were treated with AIT (active group), either Pollinex Quattro® 100% olive pollen (n = 43, 48.3%) or 50% olive pollen/50% grass pollen (n = 46, 51.7%). Patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between groups. The mean (SD) number of unscheduled visits to a healthcare center and emergency room admissions due to allergy symptoms was 2.19 (1.40) and 0.43 (0.63) in the control group, and 1.09 (1.25) and 0.11 (0.51) in the active group ( P = 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Severity and control of asthma symptoms remained unchanged ( P = 0.347 and P = 0.179, respectively), rhinitis type improved ( P = 0.025), and severity remained unchanged in the active compared to the control group. The use of short-acting beta-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids to treat asthma symptoms decreased in the active vs. the control group ( P = 0.001 and P = 0.031, respectively). Twelve (13.5%) and two (2.2%) patients in the active group experienced local adverse reactions (edema, swelling, erythema, hives, pruritus, and heat), and systemic adverse reactions (hypertensive crisis and low-grade fever) to AIT, respectively; none was serious. Conclusion AIT with Pollinex Quattro® specific for olive pollen and olive/grass pollens resulted in reduced visits to the healthcare center and emergency room and the use of asthma medication during the pollen season, indicating that this treatment was safe...