Psilocybe, allergens

Although exposure of most people to Psilocybe spp. is undoubtedly minimal, skin test reactivity to P cubensis spore extracts is the most significant of all basidiomycetes tested in Europe and the USA [20, 21]. This reactivity probably results from exposure to related species. P cubensis occurs naturally on the northeastern coast of South America, the Caribbean and the southeastern coast of North America. Although related species occur throughout the temperate northern hemisphere, the distribution of these mushrooms is probably less important clinically than the cross-reactivity patterns of its allergens. Several species in genera closely related to Psilocybe are common lawn... 

Helbling A, Homer WE, Lehrer SB Identification of Psilocybe cubensis spore allergens by irrrmunoprinting. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1993 100 263-267. 

Reese G, Homer WE, Lehrer SB Basidiomycete allergens. Characterization of epitopes with monoclonal antibodies raised against Psilocybe cubensis spore extract in Kraft D, Sehon A (eds) Molecrrlar Biology and Irrrmunology of Allergens. Boca Raton, CRC Press, 1993, pp 275—277. 

Homer WE, Reese G, Lehrer SB Identification of the allergen Psi c 2 from the basidiomycete Psilocybe cubensis as a fungal cyclophilin. Int Arch Allergy Irrrmunol 1995 107 298-300. 

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