Evidence of the Specificity of the Intracutaneous Pollen Test in Man.

Abstract

Duplication of positive skin reactions to pollcn extract was possible in most of the patients when 2 tests were made simultaneously, or when 2 or more weeks elapsed between the 2 tests. The pollens employed included a gramineae, a chenopodiaceae and 2 compositae. The majority of the individuals were positive to but a few pollens though some were positive to nearly all pollens.

Six species of Artemisia and 7 of Atriplex were tested on a series of patients. We have demonstrated that an individual may react to but 1 or 2 species of the 6 or 7 tested. Eighteen individuals reacted to but one of the 2 subspecies tested, while 6 patients reacted to the other subspecies.

In combination with the factor of accuracy previously discussed, these findings are considered evidence of the specificity of the intracutaneous test and, a piori, of the reacting substances in the pollen extract.