These are allergic reactions triggered, in the same individual, by apparently different causes. Here are some examples of cross allergies.
These are allergic reactions triggered, in the same individual, by apparently different causes. Here are some examples of cross allergies.
The discovery of cross allergies is one of the latest milestones in allergology. Such reactions are due, for example, to the presence of the same protein both in pollen and in a specific food. The immune system in fact launches its attack when it comes into contact with the allergen, regardless of the “way” through which it enters the body.
Dangerous Liaisons
Here are some of the most important cross allergies.
Pollen and fruit or vegetables
The most frequent case of cross-allergic reaction is between birch and apple pollen, as the dominant allergen of the plant is very similar to that of this fruit. The birch pollen allergen is also associated with that of peanuts, celery, carrot, potato, pear and kiwi.
Other cases of cross allergy occur among:
- grasses and tomato, kiwi, watermelon, peanut, wheat flour
- ambrosia and watermelon, melon, banana
- composites and celery, fennel, carrot, green pepper, parsley, chicory, chamomile
- parietaria and cherries, melon and basil.
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Powder and shellfish
Another frequent case of cross allergy is that between dust mites and crustaceans, because they have a common allergen: tropomyosin.
Latex and bananas
Latex allergy is also very common, which can be associated with that caused by certain foods, such as bananas, kiwis, avocados and chestnuts.
There is also an allergic association between bird feathers and egg yolk. More at risk are people in contact with these animals, such as chicken farmers, who become sensitized and develop an allergic reaction to the egg.
How they manifest
Cross allergies can occur in any season. The disorders appear immediately after the ingestion of dangerous foods and occur mainly in the skin, with itching and swelling of both the lips and mouth, but also with respiratory system disorders, due to the appearance of swelling of the larynx: in these cases , the allergic person feels a real sense of suffocation.
What to do to reduce these risks? According to the American academy of allergy, asthma & immunology, you can consume these “forbidden” foods cooked in the oven or in the microwave, because the high temperatures break down the proteins that cause allergic reactions.
The National health service, on the other hand, suggests eating slightly more unripe fruits, while the Allergy UK association recommends remembering the varieties of foods that have triggered reactions, as not all apples, for example, are the same and it is possible that a certain variety can be eaten without any danger.
Intolerance is not synonymous with allergy
Food allergies are often talked about improperly. In addition to real food allergies, where the immune system is directly affected, there are also so-called food intolerances , unwanted reactions due to the consumption of certain foods.
These intolerances do not depend on an adverse reaction of the immune system, but on the poor presence (qualitative and quantitative) in the body of some enzymes that have the task of regulating the absorption of certain substances.
