Alpha-amylase as the culprit in an occupational mealworm allergy case.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Occupational allergy has been described in employees working in contact with mealworms in pet stores, live fish bait or infested stored grains and recently, in mealworm farming for animal feed and human consumption. Mealworm allergens linked to occupational allergy are troponin C, cockroach-like allergen, tropomyosin, arginine kinase, early-staged encapsulation inducing- and larval cuticle proteins.

Objective

We report a case of occupational mealworm allergy and studied the culprit component.

Methods

Diagnosis was done by skin prick, specific IgE, basophil activation and lung function testing. Allergen purification was performed by anion-exchange chromatography and immunoblotting with patient IgE. Allergens were identified by in-gel trypsin digest and tande

SUBMITTER: Ganseman E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9468247 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature