Immunotherapy with antigen E

Abstract

Ragweed-sensitive patients were treated for 4 years with antigen E, a purified ragweed fraction. The over-all results, including a double blind study and crossover studies, suggested that antigen E was not as clinically effective as whole ragweed pollen extract. Antigen E was well tolerated, allowing administration of relatively large doses with few local and systemic reactions. In vivo reagin neutralization studies also suggested that some allergens had been lost in the preparation of Antigen E. Antigen E was highly antigenic, stimulating high titers of hemagglutinating antibodies, and precipitins could be demonstrated in some sera. Antigen E appears to be an important component of ragweed pollen. However, other allergenic fractions may also be necessary in order to provide optimal clinical results.