With the arrival of the spring months, allergic rhinitis or hay fever, which manifests itself with symptoms such as runny nose, itching, congestion and sneezing, occurs in allergic people due to the spread of pollen into the air. It is very common that pollens, in addition to allergic rhinitis, cause conjunctivitis in the eyes or allergic asthma, which manifests itself with shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath in the lungs.
Since some pollens carry the same allergens as foods, itching in the mouth and palate, that is, oral allergy syndrome. may cause. These cross-reactions between pollens and foods can lead to more serious anaphylactic shock, which is manifested by fainting, shortness of breath, and itching all over the body.
WHAT IS POLLEN-FOOD (ORAL ALLERGY) SYNDROME?
Pollen-food syndrome or oral allergy syndrome causes itching in the mouth, lips and throat or lips after eating foods that have the same allergenic properties as pollens. It manifests itself with swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat.
The immune system in our body recognizes the allergens in foods and pollen and creates IgE antibodies against them. Food and pollen contain allergens with a similar allergenic structure, so the antibodies formed give the same allergic response to the pollen or food. When some patients with pollen allergy consume foods with the same allergenic structure, complaints of itching and swelling in the mouth, lips, tongue and palate may occur.
People with Oral allergy syndrome, which develops due to cross-reactions between pollen and foods, can generally eat the same fruits or vegetables in cooked form. , because the proteins deteriorate during the heating process, so the immune system does not recognize these foods as the allergens are broken down when heated.
Oral allergy syndrome occurs in later years. Fruits or vegetables that are consumed without any problems in the beginning cause complaints in young people or adults who develop allergies to pollens after years.
WHICH POLLEN CAUSES POLLEN-FOOD (ORAL ALLERGY) SYNDROME?
It occurs in the spring months. Along with the pollen released, some patients also begin to have complaints in their digestive system, especially some patients. They complain that the food bothers them a lot.
The allergen on the pollen and the allergen on the food may have the same properties, so consuming these foods that cause cross-reaction in patients with pollen allergy causes swelling in the mouth, palate, lips and even in the throat. The rash may cause itching.
Although not everyone with pollen allergy, some patients may experience oral allergy syndrome when eating the following foods.
The most common pollens we encounter
Pollen-Food (Oral Allergy) Syndrome
Pollen
Fruit
Vegetable
Nuts
Cereals
Birch (Betula) tree pollen
Kiwi, apple, pear, plum, peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry, banana, fig, avocado, strawberry, prune, mango
Celery, carrot, parsnip, parsley, dill, cumin, coriander, fennel, potato, tomato, pepper ( green), chicory
Hazelnuts, almonds
walnuts,
peanuts
Soybeans, wheat,
lentils, peas, beans
Grape grass (Ragweed/Ambrosia)
Banana, watermelon, melon,
Pumpkin, pepper, cucumber,
artichoke, hibiscus, pumpkin, chamomile tea
sunflower seeds
Wormwort (mugwort/Artemisia vulgaris) )
Apple, watermelon, melon
Celery, carrots, parsley, pepper, coriander, fennel, cumin, black pepper
Sticky herb (Wall pellitory/parietaria officinalis)
Cherry, melon
Pistachio
Grass
Fig, melon, orange, kiwi, watermelon
Tomato, potato
Peanut
Red tree (Alder/Alnus glutinosa)
Apple, cherry, peach , pear, strawberry, raspberry
Celery, parsley
Hazelnuts, almonds
walnuts
Cypress pollen
Peach,
pomegranate
Japanese cedar
tomato
Plane pollen (plane)
apple
Lettuce, corn
Hazelnuts, peanuts
Chickpeas
Olive pollen (olive/olea europea )
peach, pear, melon, kiwi
Ficus benjamina
Fig, kiwi, pineapple, papaya
Cross reactions are observed between many pollens and foods. Apart from this, it should not be forgotten that many tree or grass pollens have a close relationship with each other. Pollen allergens with a similar structure are seen to cause false positives. Therefore, it is extremely important that the relationship between complaints and pollen be evaluated by allergists.
Some of these cross-reactions between pollen and foods are better known and occur more frequently in patients. The most common ones are listed below.
Birch-apple syndrome: allergic reactions can occur between birch and apple
Cypress-peach syndrome: serious allergic reactions can occur between cypress and peach
Celery-mugwort-spice syndrome: Allergic reaction may occur between celery, wormwood and spices
Mugwort-peach syndrome: allergic reaction may occur between wormwood and peach
Mugwort-daisy syndrome: allergic reaction may occur between wormwood and chamomile
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Mugwort-mustard syndrome: there may be an allergic reaction between wormwood and mustard
Ragweed-melon-banana syndrome: there may be an allergic reaction between grapeweed and melon and banana.
Goosefoot -Melon syndrome: There may be an allergic reaction between goosefoot and melon.
Cross reactions may occur between allergens and foods other than pollens. The most common of these are as follows.
Alternaria -spinach syndrome: An allergic reaction may occur between the Alternaria mold allergen and spinach
Mite-shrimp syndrome : serious allergic reactions between house dust mites and shrimp.
Cat-pig syndrome: allergic reactions may occur between cats and pigs.
Bird-Egg Syndrome: It has been reported that allergic reactions occur when people who are allergic to bird feathers eat eggs over time.
Pollen spreads to the environment in the spring Use may cause allergic rhinitis or allergic asthma. Apart from this, it has been shown in many publications that over time, due to cross-reactions with foods, it may cause itching, redness and swelling in the mouth, that is, oral allergy syndrome.
Complaints seen in pollen-food syndrome may be limited to the mouth and throat, but they occur in 1-2% of cases. Anaphylactic shock may occur. Additionally, allergies to foods themselves can lead to severe anaphylactic shock. In other words, foods that cross-react with pollen can cross-react with many foods, such as birch pollen, hazelnuts, peanuts, soy, and as a result, itching, redness, itching in the mouth, and swelling on the lips and palate may occur. However, foods such as peanuts, hazelnuts or soy carry unique allergens other than those that cause cross reactions. In food allergies caused by these food-specific allergens, anaphylactic shock may occur along with shortness of breath, dizziness, redness all over the body, itching and confusion.
Allergies to foods that cause pollen-food (oral allergy) syndrome should also be investigated, if the patient has a food allergy. Staying away from these foods can prevent allergic reactions such as anaphylactic shock in the future.
HOW IS POLLEN-FOOD (ORAL ALLERGY) SYNDROME DIAGNOSED?
When spring comes, with the appearance of pollens, runny nose and sneezing. If you experience complaints such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and itching, redness, and swelling in your mouth and palate when you eat certain foods, you may have a pollen-food allergy. If you suspect that you have an allergy, you should consult an allergist for correct diagnosis and treatment.
If you become sensitive to foods later on with your pollen allergy, we should keep in mind that cross-reactions between pollen and foods may be responsible for this situation. Allergy tests must be performed by allergists to find out whether these complaints are due to pollen and food. Skin prick testing is the most common test used to diagnose pollen allergy. Pollen allergy is usually diagnosed with skin prick tests. Blood tests can also be used in the diagnosis of pollen and food allergies.
In particular, recently developed blood tests We can see in detail the allergens of pollen and foods in the tests performed by us. By examining the allergens one by one, the components that cause reactions are shown.
In pollen-food (oral allergy) syndrome, the allergenic properties of foods disappear with heat. Therefore, prick to prick tests may be helpful in making a diagnosis. Additionally, oral provocation tests with fruits and vegetables can also be performed to make a diagnosis. Since oral provocation tests have the risk of causing serious reactions, they should be performed under the control of allergists when deemed necessary.
HOW IS THE TREATMENT OF POLLEN-FOOD (ORAL ALLERGY) SYNDROME?
Pollens not only cause allergic rhinitis and asthma complaints, but also cause cross-reaction with foods in some people, causing swelling in the mouth and palate, itching in the throat. It may cause complaints.
In pollen-food syndrome, most of these complaints are seen to be limited, but in some patients, it may cause anaphylaxis symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, itching all over the body, rash and dizziness, low blood pressure. That is why it is important to diagnose and treat pollen-food (oral allergy) syndrome.
To eliminate the symptoms of food sensitivity that appear over time with the spread of pollens into the environment, as in other food allergies, to stay away from allergens, take precautions and In addition to patient education, allergy vaccines for pollens (immunotherapy) have been shown to be effective.
If you have symptoms of pollen-food syndrome, avoid eating raw vegetables and other foods, especially during allergy season. One way to reduce cross-reactions with food is to cook or microwave food because high temperatures disrupt the proteins responsible for oral allergy. Canned foods may also limit the reaction.
Peeling foods before eating may be helpful because the offending protein often concentrates in the shell.
Oral allergy syndrome worsens during the pollen season, when the pollens in question increase. Therefore, it would be appropriate to stay away from foods that cause allergic reactions.
Complaints about pollen-food syndrome
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