Relationship between airborne Cry j 1 and the onset time of the symptoms of Japanese cedar pollinosis patients.

BACKGROUND Some patients with Japanese cedar (JC) pollinosis already show pollinosis symptoms before the first day of the pollen season as determined by microscopic pollen counts. METHODS Airborne pollen allergen (Cry j 1) levels were measured by electron spin resonance radical immunoassay, a highly-sensitive method for Cry j 1 with a sensitivity 10-100-fold higher than conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The symptom data from patients with JC pollinosis were collected from a mobile phone site, "pollen check sheet", and the onset times of the patients' symptoms were analyzed. RESULTS The relationship between airborne Cry j 1 levels and the onset time of pollinosis symptoms was investigated. The symptoms of some patients began at the time airborne Cry j 1 levels fluctuated at 1 to 3 pg/m3 and symptom scores increased at the time of sudden increase in Cry j 1 levels. About 40% of patients began to show symptoms until the first day of the pollen season and the time nearly corresponds to the time of sudden increase in Cry j 1 levels. CONCLUSIONS Pollinosis symptoms of some patients began at the time airborne Cry j 1 levels fluctuated at 1 to 3 pg/m3 and symptom scores increased at the time of sudden increase in Cry j 1 levels. The latter time nearly corresponds to the first day of the pollen season.