Table 1

Sugar beet pollen allergy: work-related symptoms, determination of specific IgE and skin prick test (SPT).
Individual
 Work-related
symptoms*
 Specific IgE
sugar beet
pollen (kU/l)§
 Other specific
IgE (kU/l)
§ $
 SPT to sugar
beet pollen
extract #
 SPT to
standard
allergens&
 Age/sex
1
 -
 <0.35
 -
 -
 -
 44/M
2
 +
 4.2
 a,b
 +
 e
 50/F
3
 +
 1.3
 a,c
 +
 e,f,g,h,i
 28/F
4
 +
 2.4
 a,b
 +
 f, j
 54/F
5
 +
 <0.35
 -
 -
 -
 41/F
6
 -
 <0.35
 -
 -
 -
 41/F
7
 +
 <0.35
 -
 -
 g,i
 29/M
8
 +
 <0.35
 -
 -
 -
 48/M
9
 +
 <0.35
 -
 -
 -
 40/M
10
 +
 <0.35
 -
 -
 -
 37/M
11
 +
 1.8
 a
 +
 -
 59/F
12
 +
 1.0
 a,b
 +
 -
 54/F
13
 -
 <0.35
 -
 +
 -
 60/M
14
 +
 2.5
 -
 +
 g,h,k
 27/F
15
 +
 11.8£
 a,b,c
 +
 f,g,h,j,k
 18/F
Negative control 1
 Not relevant
 <0.35
 -
 n.d
 n.d.
 45/F
Negative control 2
 Not relevant
 <0.35
 -
 n.d.
 n.d.
 54/M

Data shown for 15 out of 31 greenhouse workers exposed to sugar beet pollen, and for two individuals, designated Negative control 1 and 2, neither working at the site nor exposed.

* Work-related symptoms of allergy, such as rhinitis (in 11 of 12 individuals), dermatitis (5/12) and symptoms in lower respiratory tract (2/12).

§Specific IgE determined with ImmunoCAP™ (Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden): Sugar beet w210 Data derived from the same serum samples as used in Fig 1, taken November 2005, except one individual that was sampled in September 2006£. Specific IgE data was also determined in serum samples taken November 2004, with values similar or slightly higher than in November 2005.

$ Values for specific IgE against a-c were always lower than for sugar beet pollen, usually 5-fold lower. Data derived from serum samples taken November 2004, a = w11 Salsola, b = w15 Atriplex, c = w10 Chenopodium, where Salsola = Saltwort, also called Russian thistle; Atriplex = Lenscale; Chenopodium = Lambsquarter, also called Goosefoot or wild spinach.

# SPT performed with histamine (10 mg/ml) as positive control (+++). Wheel sizes were in same size as histamine (++, +++, ++++) but positivity is here only noted as +, as compared to negativity (-).

& SPT (skin prick test) performed with standard allergens (Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden): e = mugworth, f = birch pollen, g = timothy, h = cat, i = dust mite, j = horse, k = dog

Luoto et al. Clinical and Molecular Allergy 2008 6:7   doi:10.1186/1476-7961-6-7