There is general consensus regarding the scarce cross-reactivity existing between Alternaria alternata and other allergenic moulds such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium notatum or Cladosporium herbarum. However, A. alternata has been shown to have a very significant level of allergenic cross-reactivity with other fungi belonging to the Pleosporaceae family. To date, no biological identity or homologies with other proteins have been described for Alt a 1, and it remains unclear whether the major allergen Alt a 1 contributes to the cross-reactivity shown for these moulds. Specific quantification of Alt a 1 in culture filtrates of Stemphylium botryosum, Ulocladium botrytis, Curvularia lunata, Alternaria tenuissima, C. herbarum, Penicillium chrysogenum and Asp. fumigatus, and immunoblotting using culture filtrate extracts from the above-mentioned moulds and rabbit serum anti-recombinant Alt a 1 have shown significant amounts of Alt a 1 in culture filtrates as well as antigenic components ranging from 14 to 20 kDa that strongly react with the specific serum for all taxonomically related species (Pleosporaceae family). No reactions were revealed in culture filtrates of Cladosporium, Penicillium and Aspergillus. These results restrict the cross-reactivity phenomenon due to Alt a 1 to the scope of the taxonomical term of family.

Alt a 1 is the marker for allergy to Pleosporaceae, not including Curvularia. MnSOD can explain 6.6% of allergy to Alternaria without Alt a 1 sensitization and should be included together with Alt a 1 and fungal enolase in the molecular array for the diagnosis of allergy to Pleosporaceae.

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This study describes, for the first time, the characterization of excretory-secretory antigens (ES-Ag) from Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces, evaluating their usefulness in the immunodiagnosis of human cystic echinococcosis. ES-Ag were obtained from the first 50 h maintenance of protoscoleces in vitro. This preparation contained over 20 major protein components which could be distinguished by 1-dimensional SDS-PAGE with apparent masses between 9 and 300 kDa. The culture of of protoscoleces from liver produced a greater variety of excretory-secretory protein components than those from lung. Determination of enzymatic activities of secreted proteins revealed the presence of phosphatases, lipases and glucosidases, but no proteases. These findings were compared to those obtained from somatic extracts of protoscoleces and hydatid cyst fluid products. Immunochemical characterization was performed by immunoblotting with sera from individuals infected by cystic echinococcosis (n = 15), non-hydatidic parasitoses (n = 19), various liver diseases (n = 24), lung neoplasia (n = 16), and healthy donors (n = 18). Antigens with apparent masses of 89, 74, 47/50, 32, and 20 kDa showed specificity for immunodiagnosis of human hydatidosis. The 89 and 74 kDa components corresponded to antigens not yet described in E. granulosus, whereas proteins of 41-43 kDa and 91-95 kDa were recognized by the majority of the non-hydatid sera studied.

Background: Cannabis is the illicit drug most widely used by young people in high-income countries. Allergy symptoms have only occasionally been reported as one of the adverse health effects of cannabis use. Objectives: To study IgE-mediated response to cannabis in drug users, atopic patients, and healthy controls. Methods: Asthmatic patients sensitised to pollen, and all patients sensitised to tobacco, tomato and latex, considered as cross-reacting allergens, were selected from a data base of 21,582 patients. Drug users attending a drug-rehabilitation clinic were also included. Controls were 200 non-atopic blood donors. Specific IgE determination, prick tests and specific challenge with cannabis extracts were performed in patients and controls. Results: Overall, 340 patients, mean age 26.9 ± 10.7 years, were included. Males (61.4%) were the most sensitised to cannabis (p < 0.001). All cannabis-sensitised patients were alcohol users. Eighteen (72%) of the patients allergic to tomato were sensitised to cannabis, but a positive specific challenge to cannabis was highest in patients sensitised to tobacco (13/21, 61.9%), (p < 0.001). Pollen allergy was not a risk factor for cannabis sensitisation. Prick tests and IgE for cannabis had a good sensitivity (92 and 88.1%, respectively) and specificity (87.1 and 96%) for cannabis sensitisation. Conclusions: Cannabis may be an important allergen in young people. Patients previously sensitised to tobacco or tomato are at risk. Cannabis prick tests and IgE were useful in detecting sensitisation.