[Allergy to Ficus benjamina: at the workplace and at home]

In four patients, two women aged 40 and 42 years and two men aged 49 and 37 years, type I allergy to Ficus benjamina was established. Two patients had been sensitized by contact with these pot plants at their homes. The other two patients were plant growers. F. benjamina is a non-flowering, currently very popular pot plant to be found in both private houses and public buildings. The symptoms comprise itching and swelling of the eyelids, tears, running nose, wheezing and dyspnoea. In one plant grower contact urticaria progressing to dermatitis of the hand was the main symptom. Only one patient had a clear-cut atopy. Both plant growers showed a cross-allergy to other Ficus species. Two patients had a cross-allergy to latex and the associated cluster of tropical fruit (banana, kiwi, avocado, and chestnut). Removal of the ficus plants from the homes and change to another crop or to another occupation completely resolved the complaints of these patients.