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Review
. 2023 Jul 12;15(14):3112.
doi: 10.3390/nu15143112.

IgE Mediated Shellfish Allergy in Children-A Review

Arianna Giannetti  1 , Andrea Pession  1 , Irene Bettini  1 , Giampaolo Ricci  2 , Giuliana Giannì  3 , Carlo Caffarelli  3
Affiliations
Review

IgE Mediated Shellfish Allergy in Children-A Review

Arianna Giannetti et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Shellfish is a leading cause of food allergy and anaphylaxis worldwide. Recent advances in molecular characterization have led to a better understanding of the allergen profile. High sequence homology between shellfish species and between shellfish and house dust mites leads to a high serological cross-reactivity, which does not accurately correlate with clinical cross-reactions. Clinical manifestations are immediate and the predominance of perioral symptoms is a typical feature of shellfish allergy. Diagnosis, as for other food allergies, is based on SPTs and specific IgE, while the gold standard is DBPCFC. Cross-reactivity between shellfish is common and therefore, it is mandatory to avoid all shellfish. New immunotherapeutic strategies based on hypoallergens and other innovative approaches represent the new frontiers for desensitization.

Keywords: allergen-specific immunotherapy; crustaceans; molluscs; oral food challenge; shellfish allergy; tropomyosin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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