Performance of a commercially available plant allergen series in the assessment of suspected occupational contact dermatitis to plants in north Indian patients.
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Date
2015-07
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Abstract
Background: Parthenium hysterophorus is the leading cause of phytogenic allergic contact
dermatitis in India. The Indian Standard Series currently supplied by Systopic Laboratories Ltd
and manufactured by Chemotechnique Diagnostics® contains parthenolide as the only allergen
representing plant allergens. Aim: The study was conducted to assess the performance of the
Chemotechnique plant series (PL-1000), consisting of 14 allergens, in patients with clinically
suspected occupational contact dermatitis to plant allergens. Methods: Ninety patients were
patch tested with the Chemotechnique plant series from 2011 to 2013. Demographic details,
clinical diagnosis and patch test results were recorded in the contact dermatitis clinic proforma.
Results: Of 90 patients, 24 (26.7%) showed positive reactions to one or more allergens in
the plant series. Positive patch tests were elicited most commonly by sesquiterpene lactone
mix in 19 (78.6%) patients, followed by parthenolide in 14 (57.1%), Achillea millefolium in
10 (42.9%) and others in decreasing order. Conclusion: The plant allergen series prepared
by Chemotechnique Diagnostics® is possibly not optimal for diagnosing suspected allergic
contact dermatitis to plants in north Indians. Sesquiterpene lactone mix should replace
parthenolide as the plant allergen in the Indian Standard Series until relevant native plant
extracts are commercially available for patch testing.
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Keywords
Parthenium, parthenolide, sesquiterpene lactone mix
Citation
De Dipanka, Khullar Geeti, Handa Sanjeev. Performance of a commercially available plant allergen series in the assessment of suspected occupational contact dermatitis to plants in north Indian patients. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. 2015 Jul-Aug; 81(4): 376-379.