[TWO CASES OF ALLERGY WITH MUNG BEAN SPROUTS]

Patient 1 was a female patient in her teens who presented with swelling of the lips and oral discomfort after consuming mung bean sprouts. She had a history of this reaction since the age of 6 years and showed positive on a prick-to-prick test for mung bean sprouts. Patient 2 was a male patient in his twenties who also showed positive for mung bean sprouts as well as soybean sprout. Both patients were positive for IgE specific to birch, Gly m4, and Bet v1.Mung beans belong to the PR-10 family because they contain the allergenic component, Vig r1. A cross reaction to mung bean may occur in a patient with birch allergy as in the present cases. Mung bean sprouts are a cheap and common dietary item in Japan where, however, only a few cases of mung bean sprouts allergy have been reported. Mung bean sprouts allergy should be diagnosed with appropriate testing; if the patient has allergic reactions for this food item, an allergologist should provide detailed dietary guidance for avoiding pollen-food allergy syndrome.