Red mulberry
Red mulberry Scientific Information
Type: Whole Allergen
Display Name: Red mulberry
Allergen code: t71
Family: Moraceae
Latin Name: Morus rubra
Other Names: Red mulberry
WHO/ICD-11 code: XM03B3
Clinical Relevance
IgE-mediated reactions
Mulberry tree was reported to induce severe hayfever, but asthma was not reported (2). Anecdotal evidence suggests that asthma and hayfever are possible following exposure to pollen from this tree; however, no specific studies have been reported to date.
Mulberry has been reported to be a major problem in Tucson, Arizona, a city that has a high prevalence of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
Cross-Reactivity
An extensive cross-reactivity among the different individual species of the genus could be expected but is largely unstudied. Morus members are felt to be essentially identical based on skin test similarities, and B. papyrifera pollen was reported to ”interact almost perfectly” with other Mulberry pollens.
References
- Weber RW. Red mulberry. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003;90(5):A6
- Wodehouse RP. Hay fever Plants, 2nd ed. New York, NY: Hafner 1971:107-10
- Lewis WH, Vinay P, Zenger VE. Airborne and Allergenic Pollen of North America. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1983:64-70,199-200
- Bassett IJ, Crompton CW, Parmalee JA. An Atlas of Airborne Pollen Grains and Common Fungus Spores of Canada. Hull, Quebec: Printing and Publishing, Supply and Services Canada, 1978:207-8
- Sneller MR, Hayes HD, Pinnas JL. Pollen changes during five decades of urbanization in Tucson, Arizona. Ann Allergy 1993;71(6):519-24
- Yman L. Botanical relations and immuno-logical cross-reactions in pollen allergy. 2nd ed. Pharmacia Diagnostics AB. Uppsala. Sweden. 1982: ISBN 91-970475-09
- Weber RW. Cross-reactivity of plant and animal allergens. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2001,21:153-202