[Hemoglobins of chironomids: until now unknown potent inhalent antigens for humans (author's transl)].

99 persons handling larvae of chironomids or their extracts were investigated by radioimmunologic methods for antibody estimation, skin tests, and complementary clinical examinations. Approximately 1/3 of the exposed subjects suffered from respiratory hypersensitivity caused by IgE antibodies specific to hemoglobin molecules of this insect species. It has been successful to locate the antigenic determinant of one of these hemoglobins within a defined amino acid sequence. These represents one of the first cases for which the antigenic active region within the molecular structure of a clinically relevant inhalent has been recognized.