Recombinant Allergens in Diagnostics of Birch Pollen Allergy and Grass Pollen Allergy

Current serologic diagnosis of birch pollen allergy and timothy pollen allergy is mainly performed with natural pollen extract. We assume that a more exact and efficient diagnostics and therapy might be achieved by using one of the recombinant allergens rBet v 1 or rBet v 2 respectively rPhl p 1, rPhl p 2 or rPhl p 5. Therefore IgE concentrations of rBet v 1 and rBet v 2 were compared to IgE concentrations of natural birch pollen allergen using the CAP-FEIA as well as IgE concentrations of rPhl p 1, rPhl p 2 and rPhl p 5 were compared to those of natural timothy pollen extract. Sera of 165 patients from the allergy outpatients clinic of the University of Bonn were included into the analysis. By calculating the rank correlation, autocorrelation, linear and multiple regression and Student's T-Test rBet v 1 was confirmed being a major allergen of birch as well as rBet v 1 being an indicator for diagnostic of birch pollen allergy and specific immune therapy. Concerning timothy grass, the three recombinant allergens rPhl p 1, rPhl p 2 and rPhl p 5 can replace natural timothy pollen extract highly significantly.