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.