Phthalic Anhydride-Specific IgE Antibodies

In a subject with rhinitis, conjunctivitis and asthma due to phthalic anhydride and giving immediate skin and bronchial reactions to appropriate solutions, Maccia et al. (1976) have obtained a positive RAST for specific IgE antibodies to a conjugate of phthalic anhydride and bovine serum albumin. Passive transfer of skin test sensitivity to phthalic anhydride has been reported (Kern 1939), and lymphocyte transformation has also been reported (Gervais et al. 1972). 

The reactions to phthalic anhydride are attributed to its possession, as with other chemical agents causing allergic reactions, of highly reactive sites capable of conjugating with proteins. Maccia et al. (1976) claim that phthalic anhydride has a chemical structure which has this property, because the anhydride forms an in- 

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