Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea)
Background: Moths of the genus Thaumetopoea are widespread pests in the coniferous and deciduous forests in Bulgaria. Contact with the caterpillars, larval form of different Thaumetopoea species, causes a series of complaints in humans: mainly contact dermatitis (erucism), but also IgE-mediated all...
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| Language: | English |
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National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Problems of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pipd.ncipd.org/index.php/pipd/article/view/34 |
| _version_ | 1827946617267814400 |
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| author | Georgi Nikolov Yana Kandova Bogdan Petrunov Plamen Mirchev Georgi Georgiev |
| author_facet | Georgi Nikolov Yana Kandova Bogdan Petrunov Plamen Mirchev Georgi Georgiev |
| author_sort | Georgi Nikolov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background: Moths of the genus Thaumetopoea are widespread pests in the coniferous and deciduous forests in Bulgaria. Contact with the caterpillars, larval form of different Thaumetopoea species, causes a series of complaints in humans: mainly contact dermatitis (erucism), but also IgE-mediated allergic reactions.
The aim of the present pilot study is to investigate the skin reaction after prick tests with allergens from different Thaumetopoea species in a group of people who have frequent contacts with the processionary caterpillars.
Material and methods: A group of 42 subjects were surveyed - 37 men and 5 women between the ages of 18 and 87. Specific sensitization to caterpillars of three Thaumetopoea species: Thaumetopoea pityocampa (pine processionary); Thaumetopoea processionea (oak processionary) and Thaumetopoea solitaria (pistachio processionary) was assessed by allergy skin prick tests (SPT) with specially designed caterpillar allergens.
Results: Positive allergy skin tests to one or more caterpillar’s allergens were measured in 18 (43%) participants. A simultaneous test with the three allergens from the different Thaumetopoea species showed that in 5 (31%) of the cases, skin hypersensitivity only to allergen from T. pityocampa was present. Monosensitization to T. processionea observed in 2 (12%). The rest 9 (57%) participants with positive skin test show different profiles of polysensitization to Thaumetopoea allergens under study.
Conclusions: The evaluation of skin reactivity after SPT with different caterpillar’s allergens outlined the important role of processionary allergens, especially this from T. pityocampa, in the development of IgE-mediated allergic complaints in different groups of forestry professionals. In view of these results, it seems that IgE-mediated hypersensitivity allergic reactions to Thaumetopoea caterpillars are at least as important as those with no allergic mechanism.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T11:04:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1b2e8c0f3b3a42ba9a8e897d5c666bb4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0204-9155 2815-2808 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T11:04:08Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Problems of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-1b2e8c0f3b3a42ba9a8e897d5c666bb42023-05-16T09:17:19ZengNational Center of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesProblems of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases0204-91552815-28082020-10-0148210.58395/pipd.v48i2.34Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea)Georgi Nikolov0Yana Kandova1Bogdan Petrunov2Plamen Mirchev3Georgi Georgiev4NCIPDBul Bio NCIPDNational Centre of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesBulgarian academy of sciences, Forest Research InstituteBulgarian academy of sciences, Forest Research Institute Background: Moths of the genus Thaumetopoea are widespread pests in the coniferous and deciduous forests in Bulgaria. Contact with the caterpillars, larval form of different Thaumetopoea species, causes a series of complaints in humans: mainly contact dermatitis (erucism), but also IgE-mediated allergic reactions. The aim of the present pilot study is to investigate the skin reaction after prick tests with allergens from different Thaumetopoea species in a group of people who have frequent contacts with the processionary caterpillars. Material and methods: A group of 42 subjects were surveyed - 37 men and 5 women between the ages of 18 and 87. Specific sensitization to caterpillars of three Thaumetopoea species: Thaumetopoea pityocampa (pine processionary); Thaumetopoea processionea (oak processionary) and Thaumetopoea solitaria (pistachio processionary) was assessed by allergy skin prick tests (SPT) with specially designed caterpillar allergens. Results: Positive allergy skin tests to one or more caterpillar’s allergens were measured in 18 (43%) participants. A simultaneous test with the three allergens from the different Thaumetopoea species showed that in 5 (31%) of the cases, skin hypersensitivity only to allergen from T. pityocampa was present. Monosensitization to T. processionea observed in 2 (12%). The rest 9 (57%) participants with positive skin test show different profiles of polysensitization to Thaumetopoea allergens under study. Conclusions: The evaluation of skin reactivity after SPT with different caterpillar’s allergens outlined the important role of processionary allergens, especially this from T. pityocampa, in the development of IgE-mediated allergic complaints in different groups of forestry professionals. In view of these results, it seems that IgE-mediated hypersensitivity allergic reactions to Thaumetopoea caterpillars are at least as important as those with no allergic mechanism. https://pipd.ncipd.org/index.php/pipd/article/view/34Thaumetopoea pityocampaThaumetopoea processionea Thaumetopoea solitariaIgE-mediated allergyskin prick tests |
| spellingShingle | Georgi Nikolov Yana Kandova Bogdan Petrunov Plamen Mirchev Georgi Georgiev Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea) Problems of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Thaumetopoea pityocampa Thaumetopoea processionea Thaumetopoea solitaria IgE-mediated allergy skin prick tests |
| title | Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea) |
| title_full | Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea) |
| title_fullStr | Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea) |
| title_short | Skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars (genus Thaumetopoea) |
| title_sort | skin reactions to allergens from processionary caterpillars genus thaumetopoea |
| topic | Thaumetopoea pityocampa Thaumetopoea processionea Thaumetopoea solitaria IgE-mediated allergy skin prick tests |
| url | https://pipd.ncipd.org/index.php/pipd/article/view/34 |
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