dc.contributor.author
Brandt, Oliver
dc.contributor.author
Zuberbier, Torsten
dc.contributor.author
Bergmann, Karl-Christian
dc.date.accessioned
2018-06-08T03:41:53Z
dc.date.available
2014-09-25T12:51:19.699Z
dc.identifier.uri
https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/15745
dc.identifier.uri
http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/refubium-19932
dc.description.abstract
Background Due to its high allergenic potential Ambrosia artemisiifolia has
become a health threat in many European countries during the last few decades.
Hence, several cities and communities initiated ragweed eradication campaigns.
In Berlin, Germany, so-called Ambrosia scouts are being assigned the task of
finding and eliminating this weed. We sought to evaluate the potential risk of
sensitization and allergy in these individuals. Findings In order to assess
the risk of sensitization and allergy, we followed-up 20 Ambrosia scouts by
skin-prick test with inhalant allergens, immunoserological and pulmonary
function tests. Additionally, medical conditions were evaluated by a
questionnaire especially designed for this study. Despite close contact to
ragweed over a median duration of 13.8 months, none of the participants became
sensitized or allergic to ragweed. One individual developed a clinical non-
relevant sensitization towards the taxiconomically-related plant mugwort. A
decline in relative FEV1 was most probably due to heavy smoking. Conclusions
Our surprising findings suggest that intensive contact and exposure to high
ragweed pollen concentrations do not necessarily result in sensitization
and/or allergy, meaning that the allergenic potential of this weed might be
lower than hitherto expected. However, it is also conceivable that continuous
exposure to high allergen levels induced tolerance in the ragweed workers. Due
to the relatively small number of subjects studied, our results might be
biased and therefore investigations on larger study groups are needed.
de
dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.ddc
600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften::610 Medizin und Gesundheit::610 Medizin und Gesundheit
dc.title
Risk of sensitization and allergy in Ragweed workers
dc.type
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
dcterms.bibliographicCitation
Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology. - 10 (2014), 1, Artikel Nr. 42
dc.title.subtitle
a pilot study
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.doi
10.1186/1710-1492-10-42
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.url
http://www.aacijournal.com/content/10/1/42
refubium.affiliation
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
de
refubium.mycore.fudocsId
FUDOCS_document_000000021024
refubium.note.author
Der Artikel wurde in einer Open-Access-Zeitschrift publiziert.
refubium.resourceType.isindependentpub
no
refubium.mycore.derivateId
FUDOCS_derivate_000000003956
dcterms.accessRights.openaire
open access