Seafood allergy is among the top 9 allergens, meaning it affects many people who suffer from food allergies. While some people have seafood allergies, others only suffer from intolerances, which are less severe compared to allergies.
Seafood allergies are rampant in areas where seafood is a main part of people’s diet. That’s why it’s more common in Asia and Scandinavia. Seafood allergies mainly affect adults and adolescents more than they affect children. Estimates show that 1 in every hundred people suffers from seafood allergies.
The common types of seafood allergies are fish and shellfish allergies. If a child has a seafood allergy, it’s estimated that there’s a 20% chance of them outgrowing this allergy. So, when you have a seafood allergy, you could label this food group as your nemesis.
Seafood allergy can be categorized into two: shellfish and fish allergy. Fish are vertebrates with bony spines; these include cod, salmon, and tuna. Shellfish are invertebrates that lack a bony spine. Shellfish are also further categorized into two. These include crustacean allergies (crab, lobster, and shrimp) and mollusk allergies (clams, mussels, snails, and oysters).
Under shellfish allergy, crustacean allergy is more common tha mollusk allergy. The prevalence of various types of food allergies depends on the frequency of consumption of specific types of seafood. For example, shellfish allergy is more common in Asia as that’s where it’s mostly consumed as opposed to the US.
Causes of seafood allergies
The primary cause of fish allergies is parvalbumins, which is a type of calcium-binding protein. However, other allergens may cause fish allergy. These include enolases and aldolases. In shellfish allergy, the leading cause of an allergic reaction is a group of muscle proteins known as tropomyosins. Some other allergens that can cause shellfish allergy include myosin light chain, hemocyanin, and arginine kinase.
When you consume any form of seafood that you’re allergic to, you won’t get the reaction the very first time. However, your immune system notes down the protein it’s allergic to and produces antigen-specific antibodies. If parvalbumins are causing an allergic reaction, your body will produce parvalbumin-specific antigens.
So, the next time you consume this same allergen, your immune system immediately recognizes it and produces antibodies to fight and protect your body against what it terms “harmful invaders.” These antigen-specific antibodies bind to allergens like parvalbumin and tropomyosins when you’re exposed to them.
When binding happens, it triggers a massive allergic immune response, which prompts mast cells to produce histamines and other inflammatory chemicals, which then cause allergy symptoms.
The most common fish that cause an allergic reaction include (but are not limited to):
- Salmon
- Snapper
- Cod
- Flake
- Tuna
- Whiting
- Barramundi
- Trout
Shellfish, which include both mollusks and crustaceans that mainly cause an allergic reaction, include (but are not limited to):
- Oysters
- Cuttlefish
- Prawns
- Squid
- Lobster
- Mussels
- Crayfish
- Calamari
To know which seafood you’re allergic to, you must take an Allergy Test. This test will allow you to be aware of your allergies so that you know the foods and products you need to avoid to avoid suffering from allergy symptoms.
Symptoms of seafood allergy
When you have shellfish or fish allergy, there are common symptoms that you will experience. These include:
- Hives
- Lips swelling
- Throat tightness
- Runny nose
- Shortness of breath
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Anaphylaxis
Since everyone’s body is different, you’ll find that reactions are different. Some people may experience mild symptoms, while others suffer severe symptoms. Most food allergies dont cause symptoms. However, shellfish allergy is known to cause more severe symptoms and can land one in the emergency room.
Even though you can have allergies upon consuming seafood, you can also experience symptoms upon touching or inhaling fumes from fish or shellfish when they’re being cooked or in a factory manufacturing these types of foods.
Children run a higher risk of experiencing severe allergic reactions upon consuming seafood when they have an allergy. An EpiPen is the best tool to help deal with anaphylaxis upon contact or ingestion of seafood that you’re allergic to. You should expect to experience allergy symptoms within a few minutes or hours after ingesting allergic food.
Seafood allergy cross-reactivity
Cross-reactivity occurs when you contact or ingest proteins similar to the ones in the food you’re allergic to. This stimulates the production of IgEs, causing an allergic reaction. There is a 91-100% cross-reactivity among shellfish species and non-shellfish substances. This cross-reactivity occurs due to other muscle protein similarities.
Therefore, you can find that your allergy reaction to crustaceans and mollusks is due to cross-reacting proteins present in dust mites, cockroaches, and crickets. Shellfish and dust mites share a similar tropomyosin structure, which has about 80% similarity.
Therefore, frequent inhalation of dust mites may sensitize an individual and stimulate the production of IgE to tropomyosin and muscle proteins, which then cause an allergic reaction to shellfish up to ingestion. For everyone diagnosed with shellfish allergy, getting a test for crossreactive proteins, including cockroaches and dust mites, is essential.
Diagnosis of seafood allergy
If you think you may have a seafood allergy, it’s best to take an Allergy Test, which only requires you to send your blood sample to the lab so that it can get tested, and you’ll receive results showing you which allergies you have.
If you find out that you have a seafood allergy, you’ll need to avoid the items you’re allergic to in your food. When dealing with seafood allergy, you must also be careful about cross-contamination. Usually, cross-contamination can also occur if various seafood are packaged in the same area or factory.
So, when buying seafood, ensure you avoid any that may have undergone cross-contamination. It can be challenging to be sure whether there has been cross-contamination. Most people prefer to avoid the group of seafood they’re allergic to. For example, people with crustacean allergies prefer to prevent all types of crustaceans when they have a crustacean allergy to avoid any risk of cross-contamination.
Seafood allergy treatment
Similar to all food allergies, there is no treatment for seafood allergies. However, upon accidental ingestion, there are over-the-counter antihistamines that can help slow down the symptoms immensely. However, the best way to treat seafood allergy is by avoiding the seafood you’re allergic to by any means possible.
If you suffer from severe reactions, your doctor will prescribe an EpiPen, which contains adrenaline, and you can inject it directly into your body to prevent further harm that follows a case of anaphylaxis. Even after administering an EpiPen, you still need to visit the hospital for observation if the symptoms return after a few hours, which they sometimes do.
If you suffer from anaphylaxis after consumption of seafood, it’s best to avoid all types of seafood in general. You can get nutrients from other animal sources and supplements, which is better than risking your life. However, you can consume any form of seafood you’re sure isn’t contaminated with what you’re allergic to.
Final thoughts
Seafood can be your very own nemesis, especially if you have an allergy. It is common for adults and adolescents to have seafood allergies, among the top common food allergens. The best way to determine whether you have a seafood allergy is by taking an Allergy Test. This test helps you know which allergies you suffer from. To manage your seafood allergy, you must avoid the seafood you’re allergic to. People with seafood allergies commonly have mild to moderate allergy symptoms that over-the-counter medications can manage.
