Shellfish are a common cause of adverse food reactions in hypersensitive individuals and shrimp is one of the most frequently reported causes of allergic reactions. A novel allergen from Penaeus monodon, designated Pen m 2, was identified by two-dimensional immunoblotting using sera from subjects with shrimp allergy, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis of the peptide digest. This novel allergen was then cloned and the amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA sequence. The cloned cDNA encoded a 356-aa protein with an acetylated N terminus at Ala², identified by postsource decay analysis. Comparison of the Pen m 2 sequence with known protein sequences revealed extensive similarity with arginine kinase (EC 2.7.3.3) from crustaceans. Pen m 2 was purified by anion exchange chromatography and shown to have arginine kinase activity and to react with serum IgE from shrimp allergic patients and induce immediate type skin reactions in sensitized patients. Using Pen m 2-specific antisera and polyclonal sera from shrimp-sensitive subjects in a competitive ELISA inhibition assay, Pen m 2 was identified as a novel cross-reactive Crustacea allergen. This novel allergen could be useful in allergy diagnosis and in the treatment of Crustacea-derived allergic disorders.

OBJECTIVE. Kawasaki disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children worldwide. This study characterizes the epidemiology of Kawasaki disease in Taiwan between 2003 and 2006. METHODS. Using Taiwan's 2003–2006 national health insurance claims, we investigated the epidemiologic features of Kawasaki disease (ICD-9-CM code 446.1) and coronary artery aneurysm formation (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 414.11) and compared the incidences of these diseases with those occurring between 1996 and 2002 in Taiwan and those reported by other countries. RESULTS. During our 4-year study period, 3877 children and adolescents <20 years of age were hospitalized for Kawasaki disease. Ninety percent of these children were <5 years of age, and the male/female ratio was 1.62:1. The annual incidence of Kawasaki disease was 153 in 100000 children <1 year of age, 111 in children 1 year of age, 58 in children 2 years of age, 30 in children 3 years of age, 19 in children 4 years of age, and 5.2 in children 5 to 9 years of age. The overall incidence was 69 cases per 100000 for children <5 years of age. Kawasaki disease recurred in 1.5% of all cases. Kawasaki disease occurred most frequently in the summer and least frequently in the winter. Coronary artery aneurysm occurred in 7.2% (279 of 3877) of all Kawasaki disease cases. CONCLUSIONS. The overall incidence of Kawasaki disease was 69 in 100000 children <5 years of age between 2003 and 2006 in Taiwan, comparable with the incidence of 66 in 100000 children between 1996 and 2002. Taiwan has the third highest incidence of Kawasaki disease in the world, after Japan and Korea. In Taiwan, it occurs more frequently during the summer.

In this study, we provide direct evidence that the magnitude and nature of the immune response to a DNA vaccine can be differentially regulated by codelivery of various mouse cytokine genes. Mice immunized with a hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA vaccine and the IL-12 or IFN-γ gene exhibited a significant enhancement of Th1 cells and increased production of anti-HBV surface IgG2a Ab, as well as a marked inhibition of Th2 cells and decreased production of IgG1 Ab. In contrast, coinjection of the IL-4 gene significantly enhanced the development of specific Th2 cells and increased production of IgG1 Ab, whereas Th1 differentiation and IgG2a production were suppressed. Coinjection of the IL-2 or the granulocyte-macrophage-CSF gene enhanced the development of Th1 cells, while the development of Th2 cells was not affected, and the production of IgG1 and IgG2a Ab were both increased. The CTL activity induced by HBV DNA vaccination was most significantly enhanced by codelivery of the IL-12 or IFN-γ gene, followed by the IL-2 or granulocyte-macrophage-CSF gene, whereas codelivery of the IL-4 gene suppressed the activity. When challenged with HBV surface Ag (HBsAg)-expressing syngeneic tumors, significant reduction of tumor growth was observed in mice that were coadministered the IL-12 gene but not the IL-4 gene. Taken together, these results demonstrate that application of a cytokine gene in a DNA vaccine formulation can influence the differentiation of Th cells as well as the nature of an immune response and may thus provide a strategy to improve its prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy.