Allergic rhinitis in Rosa domescena cultivators: a novel type of occupational allergy?

After the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis due to Rosa domescena was suspected in one subject with skin prick and nasal provocation tests, we recruited all other workers employed in rose cultivation in Yakaören village, Isparta. From May 2000 to July 2000 (exposure period 'time of rose handling'), we studied 600 individuals employed in rose cultivation. A questionnaire was administered by a physician, and skin testing was done by a nurse on 75 individuals suffering from asthma and/or rhinitis. Sera from these 75 subjects were available for immunologic testing. The diagnosis of atopy against rose was based on the presence of work-related symptoms, positive skin prick test (SPT) with rose extracts, and positive RAST. While no subject reported asthmatic symptoms, twenty of them reported either rhino-conjunctivitis, rhinitis or both on exposure to Rosa domescena. Fourteen of these subjects had increased specific IgE levels to Rosa domescena. Eleven (78.5%) also had a positive skin reaction to Rosa domescena. Out of the six negative sera with normal specific IgE levels to rose, only two (33.3%) had positive skin reactivity. No subject had significant daily peak expiratoy flow rate (PEFR) variations. We conclude that exposure to Rosa domescena may represent a risk for allergic rhinitis. The possibility of an occupational rose allergy should therefore be taken into consideration in the subjects working in rose cultivation.