Anaphylaxis to topical Aloe vera in a birch pollen allergic child

Eva-Maria Varga,Heimo Breiteneder,Ernst Eber,Merima Bublin

doi:10.1186/2045-7022-4-s2-p45

Eva-Maria Varga, Heimo Breiteneder + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-7022-4-s2-p45

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Abstract

Background Ingredients of aloe vera leaves are being increasingly used for their anti-inflammatory and slimming properties. However, serious allergic reactions are very rare and only occasionally reported. Here, we present an eleven year old girl with anaphylaxis within minutes after topical administration of aloe vera to a skin lesion. On admission, the girl showed no signs of respiratory or cardiovascular compromise after having been stabilized by her GP. Apart from mild allergic rhinitis symptoms during the birch pollen season, she had no other atopic disease. The family history revealed respiratory allergies in the mother and anaphylaxis to insect stings in the father.

Highlights

Ingredients of aloe vera leaves are being increasingly used for their anti-inflammatory and slimming properties
In summary, we believe that IgE antibodies to cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs) or Bet v 1 homologues in aloe vera may induce serious allergic reactions in atopic individuals
Sera from our patient and from seven additional allergic individuals were tested by ELISA for IgE-binding to aloe vera protein extract, Bet v 1 and two glycoproteins, HRP and Api g 5 (HRP-horse radish peroxidase and Api g 5 in celery)

Summary

Background

Ingredients of aloe vera leaves are being increasingly used for their anti-inflammatory and slimming properties. Serious allergic reactions are very rare and only occasionally reported. We present an eleven year old girl with anaphylaxis within minutes after topical administration of aloe vera to a skin lesion. The girl showed no signs of respiratory or cardiovascular compromise after having been stabilized by her GP. Apart from mild allergic rhinitis symptoms during the birch pollen season, she had no other atopic disease. The family history revealed respiratory allergies in the mother and anaphylaxis to insect stings in the father. Showed a strong and dose-dependent mediator release of 60% in our patient and of 40% and 20% in the two patients with IgE positivity to Aloe vera

Conclusion

Methods and results