Abstract
Background. Date palm's pollen has been identified as a source of allergy; the rate of sensitization of this pollen is between 6 and 29%. Objective. To determine the prevalence of sensitization to date palm in Marrakesh and to identify the clinical profile. Patients and Methods. This study is based on a questionnaire and the prick test on 7 allergens, in population aged 5 years and above with clinical symptoms suggesting allergic diseases, from November 2012 to February 2013 in Marrakech. Results. We included 468 patients (women: 79.5%). The prick tests were considered interpretable in 467 cases. The prevalence of skin sensitization to pollen of date palm was 6.6%. The 31 cases of sensitization to date palm involved 7 men and 24 women with an average age of 37.5 years. Cutaneous monosensitization to date palm's pollen was observed in 2 cases. Asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis were recorded, respectively, in 48.4%, 93.5%, and 67.7%. Conclusion. Skin sensitization to pollen of date palm does not seem unusual among allergic patients in Marrakech and is comparable to that found in Casablanca (7%), Barcelona (6.6%), and Cartagena (6.1%).
Highlights
Marrakesh palm groves are considered as a historical monument [1]
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire and the realization of a prick test (PT) on 7 allergens provided by Stallergenes Laboratory whose references are 315P3-ST for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP), 314P3ST for Dermatophagoides farinae (DF), 688P3-ST for pollen of the 5 grasses, 651P3 for olive tree pollen, 626P3 for cypress tree pollen, 668P3 for date palm pollen, and 301P3 for German cockroach
Cutaneous monosensitization to date palm was noted in only 2 cases, among 29 other patients; skin sensitization was most commonly associated with the cockroach sensitization in 13 cases/29 which corresponds to 44.8% of cases, with cypress sensitization in 11 cases/29 (37.9%), with the olive tree sensitization in 9 cases/29 (31.0%), with the Parietaria sensitization in 8 cases/29 (27.6%), with the 5grass sensitization in 8 cases/29 (27.6%), and with the mite in 7 cases/29 (24.1%)
Summary
Marrakesh palm groves are considered as a historical monument (since early last century, it is the only natural grouping of date palms, located at north of the Atlas Mountains) [1]. The lack of national and Maghreb data justified the realization of this study to determine the prevalence of sensitization in Marrakesh and to identify the clinical and allergic profile of sensitized patients to date palm. To determine the prevalence of sensitization to date palm in Marrakesh and to identify the clinical profile. The prevalence of skin sensitization to pollen of date palm was 6.6%. The 31 cases of sensitization to date palm involved 7 men and 24 women with an average age of 37.5 years. Skin sensitization to pollen of date palm does not seem unusual among allergic patients in Marrakech and is comparable to that found in Casablanca (7%), Barcelona (6.6%), and Cartagena (6.1%)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
