Spice allergy in celery-sensitive patients

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Food Science

Background:

• Celery is a common allergen, often associated with birch and mugwort pollen allergies.
• Cross-reactivity between plant-based foods and pollens is a known phenomenon in allergic individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of spice allergies in patients with existing pollen and celery allergies.
• To identify specific spices that trigger allergic reactions in this patient group.
• To explore the relationship between pollen sensitization patterns and spice-specific IgE.

Main Methods:

• Scratch tests (SCT) were conducted on 70 patients with known allergies to birch and/or mugwort pollens and celery.
• Commercial powdered spices from both related (Apiaceae family) and unrelated botanical families were used.
• Specific serum IgE levels (RAST) to celery and various spices were determined in a subset of patients.

Main Results:

• Over 24 patients showed positive SCT reactions to Apiaceae spices (aniseed, fennel, coriander, cumin), which are botanically related to celery.
• Spices from unrelated families (red pepper, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon) elicited positive reactions in only 3 out of 11 tested patients.
• Specific IgE to various spices was observed in 41 patients with positive RAST to celery, particularly in those with celery-mugwort or celery-birch-mugwort allergies.
• A celery-birch pollen allergy pattern correlated with positive reactions to Apiaceae family spices.

Conclusions:

• Patients with celery and certain pollen allergies exhibit a significant risk of cross-reactivity to spices, especially those within the Apiaceae family.
• The study highlights the importance of considering spice allergies in the diagnostic workup of patients with pollen-food allergy syndromes.
• Specific IgE profiles can help elucidate the complex cross-reactivity patterns observed between pollens, celery, and various spices.