Shellfish allergy

Shellfish allergy
Shellfish (shrimp, crab legs, mussels) on platter
SpecialtyImmunology Edit this on Wikidata
FrequencyShellfish allergy frequency estimated at ~0.5-2.5% (self-reported)[1]

Shellfish allergy is among the most common food allergies. "Shellfish" is a colloquial and fisheries term for aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs such as clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, crustaceans such as shrimp, lobsters and crabs, and cephalopods such as squid and octopus. Shellfish allergy is an immune hypersensitivity to proteins found in shellfish. Symptoms can be either rapid or gradual in onset. The latter can take hours to days to appear. The former may include anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition which requires treatment with epinephrine. Other presentations may include atopic dermatitis or inflammation of the esophagus.[2] Shellfish is one of the eight common food allergens, responsible for 90% of allergic reactions to foods: cow's milk, eggs, wheat, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and soy beans.[3][4]

Unlike early childhood allergic reactions to milk and eggs, which often lessen as the children age,[5] shellfish allergy tends to first appear in school-age children and older, and persist in adulthood.[6] Strong predictors for adult-persistence are anaphylaxis, high shellfish-specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and robust response to the skin prick test. Adult onset of shellfish allergy is common in workers in the shellfish catching and processing industry.[7][8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Khora2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ National Report of the Expert Panel on Food Allergy Research, NIH-NIAID 2003 "National Report of the Expert Panel on Food Allergy Research" (PDF). 30 June 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-04. Retrieved 2006-08-07.
  3. ^ "Food Allergies" Archived 2012-10-06 at the Wayback Machine Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NHS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Urisu A, Ebisawa M, Ito K, Aihara Y, Ito S, Mayumi M, Kohno Y, Kondo N (September 2014). "Japanese Guideline for Food Allergy 2014". Allergol Int. 63 (3): 399–419. doi:10.2332/allergolint.14-RAI-0770. PMID 25178179.
  6. ^ Thalayasingam M, Lee BW (May 2015). "Fish and shellfish allergy". Chem Immunol Allergy. Chemical Immunology and Allergy. 101: 152–61. doi:10.1159/000375508. ISBN 978-3-318-02340-4. PMID 26022875.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lopata2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Jeebhay2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).