Carmine allergy

Here we present a case report of a patient suffering from occupational rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma due to IgE-mediated carmine red allergy. This is the first description of carmine red allergy in a screen-printing worker in which the diagnosis was documented by quantification of specific IgE antibodies, by skin tests, by a flow-assisted basophil activation test, and by a carmine red challenge test.

Background and Objective. Various venom immunotherapy (VIT) protocols are available for Hymenoptera allergy. Although adverse reactions (ADRs) to VIT are widely reported, controlled trials are still needed. We conducted a randomized prospective study to evaluate ADRs and the efficacy of three VIT regimens. Methods. 76 patients with Hymenoptera allergy, aged 16-76 years, were randomized to receive an ultrarush protocol (group A: 27 patients), a rush protocol (group B: 25), or a slow protocol (group C: 24). Aqueous venom extract was used in incremental phase and an adsorbed depot in maintenance phase...

Although there are many reported cases of immediate allergy after ingestion of foods containing cochineal, there are few reports of allergic contact dermatitis from carmine. We present a rare case of allergic contact dermatitis due to carmine. A 52-year-old female presented with an itchy erythema on her cheeks at the site where blush had been applied. Patch-tested with her cosmetics, she showed a positive reaction to the blush (30% in petrolatum) and to 0.2% (but not 0.1%) carmine in petrolatum. In this case, the optimum patch-test concentration of carmine was 0...

Adverse reactions to food additives are difficult to diagnose due to the diversity of mechanisms involved in their realization and to the absence of reasonably reliable methods for their determination. Eighty-three patients with allergic diseases were examined using the granulocytic myeloperoxidase release reaction (MRR) to diagnose intolerance reactions to food additives (E102, E122, E124, E132, E110, E2111). MRR revealed leukocyte hypersensitivity to tartrazine in 10.8%, sunset yellow in 4.8%, ponceau in 13...

Originally predicated on the recognition of an increasing prevalence of allergy, the hygiene hypothesis was later found to accommodate the contrasting epidemiologic trends in developed countries for infectious vs autoimmune diseases. Experimentally, reduced exposure to infections will increase the risk of disease in several models of experimental autoimmunity. Although TLRs were initially considered as stimulatory molecules capable of activating early defense mechanisms against invading pathogens, emerging data suggest that they can also exert a regulatory function...

BACKGROUND: Positive skin prick test (SPT) reactions to carmine red (E120) have been reported to occur concurrently with reactions to mites. The relationships between positive SPT reactions to carmine, carmine allergy and concurrent mite reactions are unknown. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of carmine sensitization and its clinical importance among patients with suspected allergy to food additives. METHODS: The occurrence of positive SPT reactions to mites was studied in 6,464 patients: 3,164 were tested with carmine and 2,837 with shrimp...

Macrolide hypersensitivity is a rarely reported event. However, carmine dye has become increasingly important as a provocative agent. We present a case of a woman with documented carmine hypersensitivity, who reported anaphylaxis 90 minutes after ingestion of a generic azithromycin. Our investigations revealed that this was an allergy to the carmine dye in the tablet's coating rather than to the antibiotic. Seven extracts were prepared including carmine dye, crushed dried female cochineal insects, crushed tablets of Zithromax (Pfizer Inc...

BACKGROUND: Carmine is a natural red pigment obtained from dried gravid female cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus or Coccus cacti). There have been several reports of allergies to carmine, but the major allergens responsible have not been identified. OBJECTIVE: To identify the major allergenic proteins in cochineal. METHODS: Immunoblots of purified cochineal extract were probed with sera from 3 patients with allergy. Partial amino acid sequences were determined for the proteins bound by IgE, and the corresponding cDNA, containing a complete coding region, was cloned by 5' and 3' rapid cDNA extension and PCR...

We herein describe a 33-year-old female who recurrently exhibited urticaria accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and dyspnea after taking red-colored food. From her history, we suspected the cochineal dye, the commonly used natural red dye in red-colored food and beverage, to be the cause of her symptoms. Oral provocation test using cochineal dye-stained red-colored boiled-fish-paste induced urticaria and respiratory symptoms. Furthermore the prick tests and the scratch tests with cochineal dye and carminic acid, the major ingredient of cochineal dye, were also positive...

Glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) on T cells and its natural ligand, GITRL, on accessory cells contribute to the control of immune homeostasis. Here we show that reverse signaling through GITRL after engagement by soluble GITR initiates the immunoregulatory pathway of tryptophan catabolism in mouse plasmacytoid dendritic cells, by means of noncanonical NF-kappaB-dependent induction of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). The synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone administered in vivo activated IDO through the symmetric induction of GITR in CD4(+) T cells and GITRL in plasmacytoid dendritic cells...

Apple is one of the most worldwide-consumed fruits and a number of cultivars, differing in organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, are available for the market. Annurca apple is a regional variety from Southern Italy, which is known for crispness, excellent taste and long shelf life of fruits. These features have renewed the interest in the investigation of their genetic potential and different studies have lead to their partial genetic and metabolic characterisation. In this study, we present the analysis of the protein repertoire of the pseudocarp tissues of three accessions of Malus x domestica Borkh...

Indigo carmine is commonly used during cystoscopy when evaluating for lower urinary tract safety after gynecologic surgery. We report a case of severe hypotension and bradycardia following intravenous indigo carmine injection in a patient with known sulfa allergy.

Cochineal carmine, or simply carmine (E120), is a red colouring that is obtained from the dried bodies of the female insect Dactylopius coccus Costa (the cochineal insect). We have evaluated the prevalence of sensitization and asthma caused by carmine in a factory using natural colouring, following the diagnosis of two workers with occupational asthma. The accumulated incidence of sensitization and occupational asthma due to carmine in this factory are 48.1% and 18.5% respectively, figures that make the introduction of preventive measures obligatory...

Foods contain a wide range of food ingredients that serve numerous technical functions. Per capita consumer exposure to most of these food ingredients is rather low with a few notable exceptions such as sugar and starch. Some food ingredients including edible oils, hydrolyzed proteins, lecithin, starch, lactose, flavors and gelatin may, at least in some products, be derived from sources commonly involved in IgE-mediated food allergies. These ingredients should be avoided by consumers with allergies to the source material if the ingredient contains detectable protein residues...

A critical evaluation of the available information demonstrates that reactions to natural color additives are rare. Studies of turmeric and carotenoid pigments administered in mixtures with other food colorings failed to definitely identify reactions to either color additive. For carotenoids, the one case report of an adverse reaction was not conclusive. An anaphylactic reaction to saffron does suggest an IgE-mediated reaction, but the high use of saffron as compared with this single report of an adverse reaction suggests that sensitivity to saffron is extremely rare...

BACKGROUND: There have been several reports of carmine allergy; however, identification of the responsible carmine allergens has not been widely documented. METHODS: Three female patients presented with a history of anaphylaxis and/or urticaria/angioedema after ingestion of carmine-containing foods. All three patients had 4+ skin prick tests to carmine. Among them, two patients were confirmed to have carmine allergy by blinded, placebo-controlled food challenges to carmine...

Carmine (E120), a natural red dye extracted from the dried females of the insect Dactylopius coccus var. Costa (cochineal), has been reported to cause hypersensitivity reactions. We report a case of occupational asthma and food allergy due to carmine in a worker not engaged in dye manufacturing. A 35-year-old nonatopic man, who had worked for 4 years in a spice warehouse, reported asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis for 5 months, related to carmine handling in his work. Two weeks before the visit, he reported one similar episode after the ingestion of a red-colored sweet containing carmine...

We report five cases of anaphylactic reaction to carmine (cochineal, E120) after patients drank an alcoholic beverage. By means of positive skin prick tests (SPT) and positive RAST to carmine. IgE-mediated sensitization could be established. One nonatopic patient showed also a great amount of serum IgE antibodies to the carmine acid-albumin conjugate. Due to its widespread use in the food and cosmetic industry, carmine should be tested in the allergy work-up in case of allergic reactions after a drink or a meal...

BACKGROUND: IgE-mediated hypersensitivity is a suggested mechanism to explain adverse reactions from carmine-containing products. OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient who experienced anaphylaxis after ingestion of a popsicle colored with carmine and to provide additional evidence that the adverse reaction was IgE-mediated. METHODS: The patient and her husband underwent skin prick tests to the popsicle and carmine. The patient also received skin prick tests and/or open oral challenge to each of the other components of the incriminated food...

Indigo carmine is generally believed to be a safe, biologically inert substance. Adverse reactions to the intravenous administration of this dye have been seen only rarely. We report a life-threatening anaphylactoid reaction to indigo carmine that may have been due to either a drug allergy or to its intrinsic serotonergic properties.