Andre Drummond made national news this week because of a reported allergic reaction to avocado. The Detroit Pistons were in Mexico City to play the Dallas Mavericks. He reportedly was in a restaurant and told the waiter he was allergic to avocados, despite the warning, avocado was present in his food and he had a […]
Adult Shellfish Allergy; a review
Shellfish allergy is one of the most common food allergies worldwide and the third most common in US children. A recent study (published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology November 2019) was done to assess the prevalence of it in the United States. Overall the estimated of shellfish allergy was 2.9% and where the […]
Pineapple Allergy comes in many flavors
Pineapple allergy is not commonly reported, but it can cause adverse reactions. Hypersensitivity reactions to other fruits are commonly reported, particularly apples, stone fruits and bananas. Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is known for its sweet and tangy taste, but its anti-inflammatory properties and enzymatic activity have been used for centuries. Pineapple has been implicated in an […]
Etokimab, anti IL-33 for Food Allergy
Etokimab is an antibody that inhibits IL-33. IL-33 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is a central mediator of allergy diseases (i.e. food allergies). By blocking IL-33, etokimab prevents the downstream inflammation that occurs with allergy diseases. Etokimab is currently being studied for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and asthma by the pharmaceutical company AnaptysBio. The […]
Gelatin Allergy
Gelatin is an animal derived proteinaceous substance found in food, cosmetics and medical supplies. It is derived from collagen that is partially hydrolyzed from either pig or cattle. This leads to a gel forming property that gives texture to foods such as marshmallow and jelly. It is also used to make pill capsules, agents that […]
Beer Allergy, what are the culprits?
Beer is the most widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the world and beer allergy is rare. According to Bavarian Purity Law, beer includes barley, malt, hops, yeast and water, but each individual beer may differ in content and brewing procedures. True food allergies can result in reactions of hives, stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. At […]
Palforzia (formerly AR101) and peanut allergy
Aimmune is seeking approval of its peanut allergy immunotherapy product, Palforzia. We have extensively discussed AR101 a Potential Peanut Allergy Cure nearly a year ago, and the FDA is set to make a decision on it very soon. Traditionally peanut allergies are managed by avoidance but the threat of accidental exposure cannot be nullified. In the US, […]
Gut microbiome in food allergy
The gut microbiome (bacteria) can play a strong role in food allergies. Food allergy is a clinical and public health problem that affects up to 10% of the US population. It is defined as an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs on exposure to a food. IgE food mediated allergy […]
Can you outgrow seafood allergy?
There have not been many studies to see whether someone can outgrow seafood allergy unlike peanut allergy where 20% is considered the norm. Can you outgrow peanut allergy? Seafood allergy includes allergy to either fish or shellfish although the main allergenic proteins differ between these groups. Worldwide prevalence of allergy to fish is reported to […]
Tree Nut Allergy: Is it the new Peanut Allergy?
Tree nut allergy is usually lifelong and together with peanut allergy are the most common cause of food induced anaphylaxis. There is not as much data compared to peanut allergy. Children with peanut allergy are thought to be at increased risk of tree nut allergies, with around 30% of pediatric patients presenting with peanut allergy […]