2023-10-14 22:25:58
Cross-reactivity may occur even if it is not an allergen.
Entered 2023.10.15 07:25 Views 0 Entered 2023.10.15 07:25 Modified 2023.10.13 17:49 Views 0
Even if you are not allergic to peach, if you have an itchy throat, you may suspect an allergy to birch trees. [사진=게티이미지뱅크]#A, a woman in her 20s, underwent an allergy test because she felt an itchy and tingling sensation in her throat when she ate peaches. The test results were unexpected. Contrary to expectations that she would naturally have an allergy to peaches, she was found to have an allergy to birch trees. So why did Mr. A have an allergic reaction following eating peaches?
Allergy is a disease in which the body reacts hypersensitively to a substance. The body’s immune response is sensitive not only to foreign substances such as dust, but also to harmless substances such as pollen or food. Allergic reactions cause discomfort in various organs, including the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory tract. However, there are cases where the body reacts even if it is not an allergenic substance. This is called ‘allergy cross-reaction’.
Allergic cross-reactions occur when the body’s immune system recognizes proteins in one substance as similar to proteins in another substance. Even if the proteins are structurally similar or biologically related and are not the same substance, symptoms such as tingling in the throat, itching of the mouth or lips, and swelling of the throat occur. Looking at the above case, the immune system of Mr. A, who is allergic to birch trees, even accepted peaches as dangerous substances.
In addition to peaches, birch allergy patients should be careful of kiwi, apples, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, figs, and mangoes. Even if you eat vegetables such as carrots, parsley, coriander leaves, tomatoes, and chicory, you may experience allergic cross-reactions. Among nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, and peanuts can be dangerous.
Professor Kim Ji-hyeon of the Department of Allergy and Respiratory Diseases at Samsung Seoul Hospital said, “There are actually quite a few patients who come to the hospital with allergic cross-reactions,” adding, “Patients allergic to birch tree have reactions to apples, cherries, and kiwi, and such reactions are common.” He said.
In addition to birch, if you are allergic to alder, cherries, strawberries, peaches, raspberries, hazelnuts, almonds, and walnuts can cause allergic cross-reactivity. Patients with ragweed allergy may develop allergies following eating bananas, watermelons, melons, cucumbers, peppers, etc.
There is no need to be afraid of cross-reactivity just because you have an allergy. However, even if the symptoms are mild, if your body has experienced a reaction, it is recommended to stay away from the causative food. The explanation is that symptoms are likely to worsen, so it is important to recognize this and act accordingly.
Professor Kim advised, “There is no need to take action in advance to prevent allergic cross-reaction, but if there are foods that cause this, it is better to avoid them as symptoms may worsen.”
To prepare for possible allergic cross-reactions, you must determine which substances you are vulnerable to. Allergens that cause allergies can be easily found through a blood test or skin test. There are two types of blood tests: MAST, which tests several types of allergies at once, and ImmunCAP, which tests several suspected specific antigens. Skin reaction testing is a method of checking skin reactions by injecting a small amount of causative substances into the skin.
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