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Case Reports
. 2017 Jan 19;10(1):5.
doi: 10.1186/s40413-016-0133-0. eCollection 2017.

Anaphylaxis in a 4-year-old male caused by contact with grasses: a case report

Germán Darío Ramón  1 , Victor H Croce  2 , Iván Chérrez Ojeda  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Anaphylaxis in a 4-year-old male caused by contact with grasses: a case report

Germán Darío Ramón et al. World Allergy Organ J. .

Abstract

Background: Acute urticaria is the presence of urticaria for <6 weeks, and it is the most common type of urticaria in children. Sometimes, it may be associated with anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition. Urticaria must be differentiated from anaphylaxis because the latter may require emergency treatment. We describe a child with anaphylaxis exposed to grasses on two occasions.

Case presentation: We described a 4-year-old male child with anaphylaxis exposed to grasses. Patient also suffered mild neurologic/respiratory symptoms but it is unlikely that he had anaphylaxis. Skin-prick tests were positive to Cynodon dactylis, Phalaris arundinacea and Festuca elatior. Little is known about the importance of pollens as a cause of urticaria in young children.

Conclusions: The case reported here is particularly interesting because, to the best of our knowledge, anaphylaxis due to pollen exposure in children aged <4 years has not been reported before. We strongly encourage all physicians searching for the cause of acute urticaria (allergists, dermatologists, primary-care physicians) to consider the possibility of pollen allergy, and to screen these patients for pollen sensitization.

Keywords: Anaphylaxis; Emergency Department; Grasses; Sensitization; Urticaria.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
In the SPTs were observed a significantly positive test to Cynodon dactylis, Phalaris arundinacea and Festuca elatior (largest diameter (in mm): 8, 12 and 23, respectively), compared with that of the negative control (1 mm)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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