Allerg Immunol (Paris). 2000 Mar; 32(3): 135-8.

New clinical data and therapeutic prospects in Cupressaceae pollen allergy.

Ariano R, Panzani RC, Saraga J.

Modulo d'Allergologia et Immunologia Clinica, Ospedale di Bordighera, IM, Italy.

The authors emphasize, thanks to their clinical data over the last 20 years: The steady increase of allergy to C. sempervirens pollen compared to other pollinosis and to atopy. The frequency of cross-reactivity between C. sempervirens and other pollens belonging to Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae families, in order, in the absence of a very good standardization and of a purification of this pollen, to try to undertake a sound specific immunotherapy using the most cross-reactive pollen mixed with C. sempervirens extracts. As a matter of fact the partially purified extracts of C. japonica gave the higher incidence (91%) of cross-reactivity. Consequently, a mixture of C. sempervirens and C. japonica extracts was used since 1993 with good results in a double blind study.