The incidence of pine pollen reactivity in an allergic atopic population

In the past there has been controversy concerning the allergenicity of pine pollen. Most reports have suggested that pine pollen has not been a significant allergen due to its low antigenicity and relatively large size. While little investigation has been done, there are some older studies supporting pine pollen as an allergen and its use in individual cases for immunotherapy. To our knowledge, no extended testing or screening had been done. A total of 200 patients presenting with symptoms during the pine pollen season were tested to Pinus radiata. Five (3.2%) of the 155 pollen-sensitive patients exhibited skin test sensitivity to Pinus radiata. Based on this data it is concluded that the incidence of skin test reactivity to pine pollen is low.