OCCUPATIONAL ALLERGY CAUSED BY FLOWERS

We describe 14 consecutive patients with complaints due to the handlin g of flowers. The symptoms varied from allergic rhinoconjunctivitis an d asthma to urticaria. Most patients had professions in the flower ind ustry. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed with home-made pollen ext racts from 17 different flowers known to be the most commonly grown an d sold in The Netherlands. RAST against mugwort, chrysanthemum, and so lidago was performed. The diagnosis of atopy against flowers was based on work-related symptoms due to the handling of flowers, positive SPT with newer extracts, and positive RAST. The concordance between SPT a nd case history was 74%, and that between SPT and RAST was 77% Extensi ve cross-sensitization was seen to pollen of several members of the Co mpositae family (e.g., Matricaria, chrysanthemum, solidago) and to pol len of the Amaryllidaceae family (Alstroemeria and Narcissus). Homemad e flower extracts can be used to confirm IgE-mediated flower allergy. Mugwort can be used as a screening test for possible flower allergy. F or most patients, the allergy led to a change of profession.