Research reports from I. Moneo and co-authors provide new insights into allergies
2007 NOV 21 -- According to a study from Madrid, Spain, "Hypersensitivity to Anisakis simplex is a worldwide medical problem. The parasite larvae die after freezing or cooking, but the tolerance of sensitized subjects to eating frozen fish remains a matter of controversy with contradictory findings." "The aim of this study was to test if intolerance to properly cooked/frozen fish was due to the recognition of a particular allergen. Sixty-four patients with Anisakis simplex sensitization were studied by an IgE multiblot using simultaneously five different antigenic extracts. The antigens tested were a crude extract, excretory/secretory allergens, a heated extract, and two gradient ethanol precipitates of the crude extract. Intolerance was reported by 20% of the patients and was not related to the detection of any special allergen, nor to total or specific IgE levels. Intolerant patients only reported a higher frequency of digestive symptoms than the patients who tolerated fish ingestion. The most sensitive immunoblot antigen source was the 50-66% ethanol fraction of a crude extract (10x concentrated) that was found to be positive in 100% of the samples. Interestingly, 95% sensitivity in the IgE-immunoblot assay could be achieved using only two allergens, Ani s I and Ani s 4. Allergens from the dead larvae remain a problem for 20% of the sensitized subjects," wrote I. Moneo and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "The use of a fractionated and concentrated crude extract improved the sensitivity of the immunoblot assay." Moneo and colleagues published their study in Parasitology Research (Sensitization to the fish parasite Anisakis simplex: clinical and laboratory aspects. Parasitology Research, 2007;101(4):1051-1055). For more information, contact I. Moneo, Hospital Carlos 3, Sinesio Delgado 10, Madrid 28029, Spain. Publisher contact information for the journal Parasitology Research is: Springer, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA. Keywords: Spain, Madrid, Allergen, Allergies, Allergy Medicine. This article was prepared by Immunotherapy Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Immunotherapy Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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