Frank D. Kern

Allergy to insect sting: III. Allergenic cross-reactivity among the vespid venoms

Recent reports have indicated that venoms may be more beneficial than whole body extracts for the diagnosis and treatment of Hymenoptera sensitive patients. These studies were undertaken to determine the cross-reactivity among the vespid venoms. Eighteen patients who were anaphylactically sensitive to vespid venoms were studied using in vitro leukocyte histamine release. The results (venom concentration for 50% histamine release) were analyzed by linear regression analysis; there was no allergenic cross-reactivity between any of the venoms, except for a modest association between yellow hornet and white hornet venom. In spite of this result 13 of the 18 patients studied were sensitive to three or four of the venoms tested. There is no clear explanation for this observation, but it suggests the existence of multiple major allergens in the vespid venoms, some of which are cross-reactive. Since immunotherapy with inappropriate proteins may lead to the development of IgE and the possibility of clinical sensitivity and since the majority of patients were not sensitive to all venom preparations, we suggest that appropriate diagnostic studies be carried out before the institution of therapy.

Additions to the Uredinales of Venezuela-III.

The total number of species reported in the foregoing lists is 238. We are now adding 25 species, bringing the total up to 263 species belonging to 31 genera. For notes concerning the collectors who have made possible these additions see KERN & THURSTON (I.c.), pp. 434-435. In the following list we are including notes about four species previously reported; these species which do not represent new records for Venezuela are marked with an asterisk. For the determination of certain host plants we are indebted to Dr. E. P. Killip, Smithsonian Institution, Dr. H. A. Gleason, New York Botanical Garden, and Dr. R. E. Woodson, Jr., Missouri Botanical Garden; for aid in the preparation of the Latin diagnoses we are indebted to Dr. R. E. Dengler, The Pennsylvania State College.

North American Rusts on Cyperus and Eleocharis

viewpoints. The most recent accounts recognize in North America twenty-three species of Carex rusts, four with I-celled teliospores (Uromyces or Nigredo type)2 and nineteen with 2-celled teliospores (Puccinia or Dicaeoma type).3 The rusts of other sedges have been studied much less carefully. Although Cyperus and Eleocharis are smaller and less variable genera than Carex it has not seemed reasonable that their rust flora should be so much more meager in North America as to consist of but three species on the two genera, yet this has been the generally accepted situation up to the present time. All specimens of rust on Cyperus have been called Puccinia Cyperi or P. canaliculata, these names being considered synonymous, while on Eleocharis I-celled teliosporic forms have been called Uromyces Eleocharidis, and 2-celled forms Puccinia Eleocharidis.

A host survey of Gymnosporangium

This paper is concerned with the species ofGymnosporangium and their host relationships. Interest centers, not on how many hosts a fungus species may occupy, but rather with how the hosts are distributed among the species of the fungus.

Distribution of West Indian Rusts

During the winter of 1931-32 while working with the rust flora of the Dominican Republic, we found it advantageous to prepare an index of all known species of West Indian rust fungi. Certain facts have become apparent from a study of this index that seem worthy of record and comment. Arthur (2) in 1917 gave a short collective account of the West Indian rusts as known at that time, in which he gave the total number of species as 214. Further study has resulted in reducing several of these to synonymy but further collecting in the Islands has added many new forms so that the present total is 290 species. Prior to the collecting of Stevens in Porto Rico 1913-15 it was the general impression of mycologists that rusts were scarce and uninteresting in these regions. As a result of Stevens work the total number of species was brought up to 155 (Arthur 1, 2). Arthur states that had a list been compiled before the Stevens material was available it would have numbered less than 100. Among previous collectors having a knowledge of the Uredinales were Clinton and Holway in Porto Rico and Earle in Cuba.

Changing Concepts of Gymnosporangium

Gymnosporangium, as the name of an important genus of the Uredinales, has been in mycological literature since 1805 when it was described by A. P. DeCandolle in the Flora Francaise (Lamarck and Candolle, 1805). The origin of the name Gymnosporangium is an unpublished manuscript by Hedwig f. from which it was adopted by DeCandolle. There is some evidence to show that Hedwig first considered Gymnospermium but changed e to o and m to ang thus making the spelling Gymnosporangium (FIG. 1). Some species, now included in Gymnosporangium, at times have been referred to various other genera-Puccinia by Micheli, Aecidium by Persoon, Podisoma by Link, Hamaspora by Koern, Gymnotelium by Sydow.

Another Gymnosporangial Connection

Cultural proof of heteroecism in the Uredinales was made by deBary in 1864 and the fact that species of Gymnosporangium were heteroecious was proved very soon afterwards. In the spring of 1865 Oersted demonstrated by controlled inoculations the connection between Gymnosporangium Sabinae on red cedar and Roestelia cancellata on pear. During the next two years Oersted proved the life-history of Gymnosporangium juniperinumn and of Gymnosporangium clavariaeforme. We are indebted to Oersted as well as to deBary for pioneer work with the heteroecious rusts. Since those early days cultures by different workers have demonstrated the life-histories of many other species of Gymnosporangium. The telial stages are on members of the cedar family, Juniperaceae. For many species the aecial stages were found to occur on members of the apple family, Malaceae. At one time it was thought safe to conclude that the species of Gymnosporangium inhabited only hosts belonging to the families Juniperaceae and Malaceae. No telial stages have been found outside the Juniperaceae but aecial stages of three species are now known to be on hosts belonging to the Rosaceae, Hydrangiaceae, and Myricaceae, respectively. There are a few species on the members of the apple family having cupulate aecia and aeciospores with pale yellow walls. The majority of these species, however, have aecia with a cylindric or cornute peridium, peridial cells with walls variously sculptured, and aeciospores with deeply colored walls. In general these are the characteristics of the form-genus Roestelia. Two species of Roestelia have stood apart from the majority in having smooth peridial cells. One of these was described by Schweinitz as Caeonma (Roestelia) Botryapitcs on Amnelanchier