Occupational asthma due to deer dander.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The literature on allergy to deer is limited. The allergenic component remains to be identified.

METHODS: We report a case of occupational asthma and rhinitis caused by deer dander. A 44-year-old male farmer had raised three red deer on his farm for 2 years, prior to occurrence of asthmatic symptoms. Dander extract was prepared from the patient's deer.

RESULTS: Skin-prick test elicited positive reactions to dander extracts from goat, sheep, camel, and cow as well as to deer dander extract. Bronchoprovocation test with deer dander extract elicited an early asthmatic response. Serum-specific IgE antibody to the deer dander extract was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblot analysis showed five IgE binding components (110, 72, 59, 45, and 21 kilodalton) within the deer dander extract.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that deer dander can induce occupational asthma through an IgE-mediated mechanism in a farmer raising deer.