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fish allergy
If your child has been diagnosed with a severe allergy to shellfish, it is likely he/she will have the allergy for life. I know an adult woman with a shellfish allergy who no longer gets hives if she eats shellfish; instead she becomes disoriented almost as if she were intoxicated.
In skin prick tests, my son is highly allergic to shellfish, yet shows no allergy to fish. (Most experts will agree that there is no cross-reactivity between fish and shellfish. But there are children allergic to both.) The shellfish test was a combination of all shellfish that you can think of. Some people allergic to shellfish aren’t allergic to mollusks – clams, scallops, oysters and mussels. At this point, we’re being very careful to stay away from all shellfish, including mollusks.
Should your child have shellfish allergy, be careful eating fried foods in a restaurant. The oil used to cook shrimp could also be used to cook fried chicken or French fries. A young woman allergic to shellfish had anaphylactic shock from this very exposure. Also, at a Japanese restaurant, the chef will prepare a fish or shrimp dish followed by another dish on the same surface. If your child is allergic to fish or shellfish, make sure the surface is completely cleaned before your child’s meal is prepared to decrease the chance of cross-contamination, or don’t eat there at
all. Most restrants will be acomidating if you let them know about your allergy.
The fish allergy was studied by researchers at John Hopkins University. It was originally thought that a fish allergic person should stay away from all different kinds of fish. The researchers found that allergic individuals might be allergic to one kind of fish, and yet have no allergic reaction to another. The process of canning tuna or salmon sometimes changes the fish protein enough that fish-allergic individuals can tolerate these canned products.
If this is yours or your child’s first exposure to fish, an allergy test for fish would be appropriate.
Surimi, a processed Alaskan pollack used for imitation crab or shrimp, doesn’t always contain shellfish. It usually contains fish, and is used in these imitation products. Read labels and be careful!
The fish and shellfish allergy necessitates not eating in seafood restaurants at a minimum. And may include not eating where fried foods are prepared if fish and shellfish are on the menu.
Stay away from all shelled fish: crab, lobster, shrimp and snails.
Also mollusks (clams and oysters) should be avoided.
Your allergist should be able to provide you with a complete listing of ingredients that may indicate shellfish and/or fish protein. There are always new products being created with newly processed ingredient names. If you don’t know the exact nature of the ingredient, don’t eat it! www.pricelesscards.net
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What is seafood allergy?
Worldwide, fish and shellfish play an important role in human nutrition and are particularly popular in certain parts of the world. The strong move to healthier eating habits and the substitution of meat with seafood in the diet has resulted in even greater demands for fish and shellfish. However, seafoods may also be potent allergens in
sensitized individuals and cause adverse reactions.
In Southern Africa there are over 2000 species of fish, more than 5000 species of molluscs and 2500 species of crustaceans. The major edible
seafood's that can cause an allergic reaction belong to three groups. The Mollusc group includes three different classes of seafood with delicious species such as Abalone (Perlemoen), oysters, mussels, and squid (Calamari).
Other food items that contain fish:
-Worcestershire sauce
-Marinara sauce can contain anchovies
-Dressings can contain anchovies
-Hot dogs, pizza toppings, bologna and ham can all contain Surimi
Menhaden is a type of fish caught along the Atlantic coast. It is used in products such as vitamins, soap, lipstick, paint, insect spray, and waterproofing.
Classification of seafood causing allergies
Group one Class Species,
-Mollusca Gastropoda
-Bivalvia
-Cephalopoda
-Abalone (Perlemoen), Snails, Alikreukel
-Mussels, Oysters, Clams
-Squids (Calamari), Octopus
-Arthropoda Crustacea Lobsters, Shrimp, Prawn,
-Crayfish (freshwater),
-Rock Lobster (kreef)
-Chordata Osteichthyes
-Condrichthyes
-Cod, Tuna, Salmon, Hake
-Sharks, Rays
The second group, the Crustacea, includes the,
-rock lobsters ("crayfish")
-prawns
-crabs -shrimps
The third important group of seafood includes all the common edible fish, such as,
-Hake,
-Cod,
-Snoek, etc.
Very often patients are only allergic to certain species but are able to eat other seafood species without problems.
However, the evaluation of a patient can be difficult if the adverse reaction to a particular seafood was caused by a non-allergic reaction. A major cause is the presence of a toxin in fish and shellfish, which produce symptoms similar to allergic reactions. Among fish species such as Yellowtail, Tuna and Mackerel, scombroid fish poisoning is frequently encountered if the fish is improperly refrigerated or when refrigeration is delayed. In filter-feeding shellfish such as black mussels and oysters, toxins produced by "Red Tide" along the West Coast are found, mostly in later summer. Recently allergic reactions to a parasitic worm, Anisakis, that is often found in various fish species, has been described in people eating fish, and can mimic a fish sensitivity.
Depending on regional diets, certain seafood's are more allergenic than others. For example, shrimp allergy is common in the southern USA while fish allergy is common in Spain and the Scandinavian countries, affecting up to 1:1000 individuals. In addition, international studies have demonstrated that occupational asthma or eczema can effect up to 30% of individuals in the various seafood-processing industries. A recent survey conducted in South Africa by the UCT Allergology Unit indicates that allergy to different mollusc and crustacea species is far more common that allergy to fish.
What are the allergens?
Very few allergens of seafood's have been characterized, according to the medical and scientific literature. The best known allergens in seafood are the Allergen M from cod fish, and the major allergen found in crustacea. In the group of molluscs, very recently a new allergen from South African, Abalone (Perlemoen) has been found. All of these allergens are very stable and are not destroyed by cooking. As yet it has not been ascertained if some or all of these allergens are responsible for the fact that some patients are allergic to different seafood species in the different groups at the same time (possibly due to
cross-allergenicity).
What are the symptoms of seafood allergy?
Reactions are reported to be mostly within 2 hours after ingestion or handling of seafood, or even inhaling cooking vapours. Reactions can also be delayed for up to 6 hours, as has been frequently reported for species of the Mollusc groups such as Abalone and squid. The more common symptoms include skin, stomach, and respiratory problems. Respiratory problems are very common in sensitive subjects following inhalation of fish or crustacean vapours, such as from cooking.
How is seafood allergy diagnosed?
A precise and detailed patient history and food history is very important in the diagnosis of allergy to seafood to indicate if a reaction is really an allergy or rather caused by a toxin in the food. Information regarding the suspected offending seafood species is very important, but it often fails to provide adequate information. This is often because of the confusion about the common name used for different seafood species. (e.g. "Rock Lobster" versus "Crayfish") or deceptive marketing practices (seven different tuna species have been
labeled as "Tuna"). The clinical evaluation should be supported by the CAP RAST test performed at a laboratory on a small blood sample. In the case of a negative CAP RAST test result, a skin test with extracts of the suspected seafood species can give additional information.
What is to be done?
Patients have to know that seafood allergies tend to persist for several or more
years. Possible your live time.
It is recommended that patients with a confirmed allergy to a certain seafood are also tested for other species (e.g. con-current crustacean and mollusc allergy is common).
Avoid any possible direct or indirect exposure to the offending seafood species including handling or inhaling cooking vapours.
Take care if eating out as some foods could have been in contact with the offending seafood species. let the restrant know that you have fish allergies before you order your food. (e.g. french fries and fish may be prepared in the same oil), or the seafood species is improperly named (e.g. freshwater Crayfish versus Rock lobster "Kreef").
Wear a Medic Alert badge and very sensitized patients should also, ask your Doctor if you should carry an injectable adrenaline syringe, and make sure that you are shown how to use it correctly at the time of
receiving it. Be very careful if you have a seafood allergy.
Disclaimer: In no way is this information meant to replace the advice and care from your
doctor, or any other medical professional. Patients should inform their doctor/allergist/dermatologist if
they are pursuing one of these treatment routes. |
