Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Allergy in Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

Basophil histamine release by P. aeruginosa standard antigen was examined in cystic fibrosis patients chronically infected with mucoid P. aeruginosa (CF + P) and with pronounced antibody response against these bacteria, and in patients without P. aeruginosa infection (CF - P). All patients showed eosinophil counts and total Ig[immunoglobulin]E, which did not differ significantly from that of normal persons. In the absence of patient''s sera, histamine release was only found in 2 patients in the CF + P group, indicating that type I allergy to P. aeruginosa is not predominating in cystic fibrosis. In the presence of patients'' sera significantly more CF + P patients responded to P. aeruginosa with histamine release compared with the CF - P patients. The response was lost by complement [c] inactivation and regained by reconstitution of the C activity. Involvement of a type III-mediated C-dependent histamine release is suggested in the pathogenesis of lung damage in cystic fibrosis.