RACCOON EPITHELIUM - A NEW ALLERGEN SOURCE

We report the case of a 39-year-old asthmatic patient who developed ac ute rhinoconjunctivitis, Quincke's edema, and asthma after repeated ex posure to a raccoon (Procyon lotor) which a friend kept at home. Skin prick and scratch tests with native raccoon hair and epithelium, as we ll as RAST, were clearly positive. Elimination of contact with the rac coon and avoiding the home of his friend led to a cessation of the pat ient's acute exacerbations.