URTICARIA FROM ALLERGY TO A PURIFIED HUMAN ANTI-RH ANTIBODY PREPARATION

This case presentation describes a young woman who developed generaliz ed urticaria after receiving the human anti-RhD(D) preparation, WinRho , intravenously. Allergy skin tests and the radioallergosorbent test ( RAST) for IgE antibodies to the human anti-D immunoglobulin preparatio n were positive. Further studies using high-pressure liquid chromatogr aphy and protein A column chromatography implicated a nonimmunoglobuli n low-molecular-weight contaminant. This case report illustrates an al lergic reaction to a highly purified human immunoglobulin preparation, and demonstrates approaches to assessment of such a reaction.