Hevea latex-associated allergies: piecing together the puzzle of the latex IgE reactivity profile

ABSTRACT

Introduction: IgE-mediated Hevea latex allergy and associated food-allergies constitute a significant health issue with serious consequences of diagnostic error. Hence, there is a need for more reliable confirmatory diagnostics.

Areas covered: Here, we summarize the major limitations of conventional tests using native extracts and describe how piecing together the IgE reactivity profile can benefit correct diagnosis in difficult cases in whom conventional tests yield equivocal or negative results. A diagnostic algorithm integrating traditional sIgE and component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) is presented.

Expert opinion: Moreover, it is clear that the discoveries in the field of the Hevea latex proteome will contribute to our understandings and accurate approach of sometimes complex cross-reactivity phenomena that extend beyond the ‘latex-fruit syndrome.’

KEYWORDS:

• Hevea latex
• allergy
• diagnosis
• components
• latex-fruit syndrome
• proteomics
• recombinant expression

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewers Disclosure

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial relationships or otherwise to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.