Seafood allergy in children linked to high rate of anaphylaxis (20%), shrimp is the most common cause

Both food allergy and seafood (fish, mollusk, and crustacean) consumption have increased over the past 40 years.

Seafood allergy is now one of the leading cause of food-related anaphylaxis in both the United States and Australia.

This Australian study included a retrospective chart review of 167 children presenting to tertiary Allergy Service with an allergic reaction to seafood. 94% had evidence of co-existent atopic disease.

Crustacean allergy

Prawn/shrimp was the most common seafood implicated. 20% presented with a history of anaphylaxis to seafood.

Over 50% of crustacean-allergic children could tolerate non-crustacean fish.

Fish allergy

Sensitization to other fish species was very common in fish-allergic children, with 30% reporting reactions to at least two species. 16% developed symptoms to fish vapours.

In children with allergy to tuna and/or salmon, at least 21% were able to tolerate the fish in a tinned form.

Seafood is a relatively common and important cause of food allergy, presenting with a high rate of anaphylaxis (20%).

References:

Seafood allergy in children: a descriptive study. Turner, Ian Ng, Andrew Kemp, Dianne Campbell, Volume 106, Issue 6, Pages 494-501 (June 2011).

Image source: A steamed tail-on shrimp, Wikipedia, public domain.