Bronchial asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and contact dermatitis caused by onion

Abstract

CASE REPORTS Patient 1 is a nonsmoking, 45-year-old homemaker. For years she had been experiencing episodes of rhinoconjunctivitis, dyspnea, and coughing when chopping onions. In the last few years, eczematous dermatitis had been appearing, mainly on the fingertips, which became worse when she was chopping onions. Total serum IgE was 182 IU/ml. Patient 2 is a 37-year-old female office worker and homemaker in whom rhinoconjunctivitis and bronchial asthma caused by sensitivity to pollen were diagnosed. Over the past 15 years, she had noticed intense rhinoconjunctival symptoms and slight dyspnea when chopping onions. Total serum IgE was 162 IUlml. In order to study the prevalence of allergy to onion, skin prick tests were performed on 106 subjects, randomly chosen in our clinic: 39 subjects were atopic. In eight (7.5%) immediate positive reactions were noted. Of these eight, all were sensitive to grass pollen; two of them (patients 3 and 4) had intense rhinoconjunctivitis, and one of the two also had chest tightness, wheezing, and dyspnea after being exposed to the aerosols emanating from onions. Patient 3 was a 31-year-old, nonsmoking man, in whom pollen-induced rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma