Studies on apricot pollinosis

Abstract

Six patients with nasal allergy due to Japanese Apricot pollen which are called “Ume” pollen were clinically examined. All cases had hyperrhinorrhea and nasal obstruction with ocular symptoms, and one of them also had itching in the pharynx. They have lived for 8 to 47 years near by large grove of Japanese apricot and 4 of them were fruit-growers. Among these four cases, three have suffured from nasal and ocular symtoms while they were working in the grove. These cases had positive skin reaction to elude “Ume” pollen extract, and five patients also reacted to nasal and ocular provocative tests. Serum IgE value by RIST was distributed from 98 to 2300 IU/ml (mean value 887 IU/ml). Specific anti-“Ume” pollen IgE in the serum was measured by BrCN activated RAST method, and serum value of five patients was 1.6 timed to 3.5 times higher than that of non-allergic subjects. Air-borne “Ume” pollen collected in a grove were observed from the beginning of February to the middle of March, and maximum grain count was 43 per cm2 in 24 hours. © 1981, The Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan, Inc. All rights reserved.