Barnacle Allergy in the Context of the Mites-Crustaceans-Molluscs-Cockroaches Syndrome

Introdução: A tropomiosina dos invertebrados é o pan-alergénio que une crustáceos, moluscos, aracnídeos, insectos e parasitas, encontrando-se significativa homologia de sequência entre as proteínas dos vários grupos. Os perceves são um tipo de crustáceo particularmente apreciado e consumido no nosso país; no entanto, a alergia a este crustáceo é uma situação bastante rara da qual só existe um trabalho publicado na literatura. Caso clínico: Apresentamos o caso de uma criança do sexo masculino, de 9 anos de idade, com asma brônquica, rinoconjuntivite alérgica e eczema atópico, sensibilizada a ácaros e baratas. Aos 7 anos, 10 minutos após a primeira ingestão de perceves, refere síndrome de alergia oral, angioedema periorbitário e rinoconjuntivite. Aos 8 anos, ocorreram 4 episódios semelhantes após ingestão de caracol, camarão, lula e choco (referindo ingestão prévia destes alimentos sem queixas). Aos 9 anos, refere episódio de urticária da face e angioedema periorbitário com inalação de vapores de cozedura de camarão. Foram realizados testes cutâneos por prick que se revelaram positivos para perceves, camarão, caracol, lula, choco, polvo e amêijoa em natureza, e para gamba, caranguejo e mexilhão com extractos comerciais. Os doseamentos de IgE específica sérica revelaram-se positivos para camarão, caracol, lula, polvo e amêijoa, bem como para perceves e tropomiosina recombinante. Foi efectuado SDS-PAGE immunoblotting com extracto de perceves que revelou várias fracções alergénicas com grande variação de pesos moleculares (19-88 kDa); foi ainda efectuado estudo de inibição com D. pteronyssinus, que inibiu várias fracções fixadoras de IgE no extracto de perceves. Discussão: Apresenta-se um caso raro de uma criança, com quadro de alergia respiratória associada a sensibilização a ácaros e baratas, com alergia alimentar a crustáceos –incluindo a perceves – e moluscos gastrópodes, bivalves e cefalópodes. Foram caracterizados os alergénios implicados na alergia a perceves e demonstrada a presença da tropomiosina como alergénio implicado, bem como a reactividade cruzada entre estes crustáceos e os ácaros

Barnacle Allergy: Allergen Characterization and Cross-Reactivity with Mites

Background: Barnacles are a type of seafood with worldwide distribution and abundant along the shores of temperate seas. They are particularly appreciated and regularly consumed in Portugal as well as in Spain, France and South America, but barnacle allergy is a rare condition of which there is only one reference in the indexed literature. The molecular allergens and possible cross-reactivity phenomena implicated (namely with mites) have not been established. Objective: To demonstrate the IgE-mediated allergy to barnacle and to identify the proteins implicated as well as possible cross-reactivity phenomena with mites. Methods: We report the clinical and laboratory data of five patients with documented IgE-mediated allergy to barnacle. The diagnosis was based on a suggestive clinical history combined with positive skin prick tests (SPT) to barnacle – prick to prick method. Two barnacle extracts were prepared (raw and cooked barnacle) and sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and IgE-immunoblotting were performed. An immunoblotting inhibition assay with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was also done in order to evaluate cross-reactivity. Results: All patients had mite-related asthma and the allergic rhinoconjunctivitis; they all experienced mucocutaneous symptoms. All of them had positive SPT to barnacle, and the immunoblotting showed several allergenic fractions with a wide molecular weight range (19 – 94 kDa). The D. pteronyssinus extract inhibited several IgE-binding protein fractions in the barnacle extract. Conclusions: We describe five patients with IgE-mediated barnacle allergy. We also describe a group of IgEbinding+ proteins between 30 and 75 kDa as the allergenic fractions of this type of Crustacea. Cross-reactivity with D. pteronyssinus was demonstrated in two cases

Whole body bone scintigraphy in osseous hydatosis: a case report

Hydatid disease is common in many parts of the world, and causes considerable health and economic loss. This disease may develop in almost any part of the body

Tratamiento de necrosis plantar postsepsis neumocóccica con terapia V.A.C.® Treatment of post-pneumococcal plantar necrosis with VAC® therapy

La terapia VAC® es un dispositivo que favorece la curación de las heridas mediante un sistema cerrado que aplica presión negativa sobre el lecho. Este tratamiento favorece la cicatrización porque reduce el edema y el líquido intersticial, mejora la microcirculación, disminuye el riesgo de infección y favorece la granulación del tejido. Presentamos un caso clínico de un varón de 31 años con un defecto amplio plantar tras necrosis distal por sepsis neumocóccica. Tras 20 días de terapia VAC® la granulación fue adecuada y permitió la cobertura del defecto con un injerto de piel. La terapia VAC® es una opción útil para la reconstrucción de defectos plantares amplios de forma sencilla.VAC® Therapy is a device that lets promote wound healing through a closed system that applies negative pressure on the wound bed. This treatment promotes healing by reducing edema and interstitial fluid, improving microcirculation, reducing the risk of infection and promoting tissue granulation. We report the case of a 31 year old man with a large plantar defect due to distal necrosis after pneumococcal sepsis. After 20 days of VAC® therapy, the granulation was adequate and allowed the coverage of the defect with a skin graft. VAC® therapy is a useful and simple option for reconstruction of broad plantar defects

Application of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay to the study of mites related to allergic diseases.

In this study, the conditions for the successful application of the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay to differentiate mite populations based on genetic variation were defined. Five species of mites related to allergic diseases were studied: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae (2 strains), Blomia tropical is, Glycyphagus domesticus and Tyrophagus putrescentiae. The mites were isolated from pure cultures and processed according to the method described in this paper. The banding patterns obtained were different for all the species studied. When the DNA from two different strains of D. farinae were studied, the "fingerprint" banding patterns obtained showed differences between them. The random amplified polymorphic DNA assay may be a useful tool to aid the taxonomic study of mite populations

Combinación de distintos dispositivos de Terapia V.A.C.® para el cierre de defectos abdominales complejos

La terapia de presión negativa Vacuum-Assisted Closure o V.A.C.® (KCI Clinic Spain SL) ha resultado ser de gran utilidad en la curación de heridas complejas de la pared abdominal, desde la fase aguda con abdomen abierto o grandes desbridamientos, hasta las fases de granulación y cobertura final del defecto, gracias a los distintos tipos de apósitos que pueden aplicarse sucesivamente, incluso ante una posible exposición intestinal con drenaje purulento hasta la granulación del defecto, y que empleados conjuntamente con matrices dérmicas y/o injertos cutáneos. Aceleran el cierre definitivo del defecto de forma poco lesiva y confortable para el paciente. Presentamos 3 casos de heridas complejas de pared abdominal en los que logramos la cicatrización de los defectos combinando técnicas quirúrgicas más tradicionales con los distintos apósitos de terapia V.A.C.® (ABTheraTM, V.A.C. GranuFoamTM, V.A.C. GranuFoam Silver® y V.A.C.® WhiteFoam dressing)