Allergy associated with Paterson's Curse.

A case of allergic rhinitis which occurred on exposure to Paterson's Curse (Echium plantagineum) is described. Symptoms developed on exposure both to flowering and to dead, dried plants. Inhalational challenge tests with pure preparations of pollen and epidermal debris, including plant hairs, resulted in the symptoms and signs of allergic rhinitis. Field experiments in a large natural stand of Paterson's curse showed that pollen and particulate plant debris, including plant hairs, were airborne during the flowering season. These findings indicate that pollen, epidermal hairs, and particulate matter cause allergic symptoms in susceptible subjects, and suggest that allergies to Paterson's Curse may be encountered beyond the main flowering period.