[Enzymes are the allergenic components of inhaled pancreatin]

Pancreatic extracts had caused respiratory disease in five patients. Four of them were not atopic. In four cases alpha-amylase and in two cases trypsin could be identified as causative allergen using RAST and RAST-inhibition. In addition, demonstration of immunologic cross-reactivity between porcine and bovine pancreatin was possible. This most likely can be attributed to the structurally closely related enzymes alpha-amylase and trypsin occurring in both animal species.