["Aquarium" allergy: bronchial asthma caused by polyvalent sensitization to various components in fish food]

Chironomus larvae seem to be the principal sensitizer in fish food allergy. In addition, a variety of other Arthropoda species that are used as fish food can induce immediate hypersensitivity. Attention is drawn to this polyvalent sensitization by presenting the case history of a 27-year-old patient who kept fish and who suffered from allergic asthma bronchiale. He showed strongly positive reactions in skin tests for Chironomus and Culex larvae, as well as several kinds of Crustacea species, such as Daphnia and brine shrimps.