I am a 44-year-old man with a known shellfish allergy for more than 20 years. Reactions vary from mild symptoms– such as hives or a stuffy nose– to severe as well as life-threatening. A history of allergic reactions shortly after exposure to shellfish can be a sign of a shellfish allergy, but allergy testing is the only sure way to tell what's causing your symptoms and to rule out other possibilities, such as food poisoning. Symptoms. Preservatives containing metabisulfite are used to prevent prawns from discoloring. Shellfish Allergy Symptoms. A shellfish allergy can cause symptoms such as hives, itchiness, abdominal pain, vomiting, and tingling in the mouth. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure. The severity of reactions to a shellfish allergy can range widely from the mild to extremely severe. The symptoms of a food allergy almost always develop a few seconds or minutes after eating the food. Many shellfish-allergic people can eat mollusks (scallops, oysters, clams and mussels) with no problem. Even a small amount of food is sufficient to trigger allergy symptoms. In some individuals, a food allergy can cause severe allergy symptoms or … Still, anyone with shellfish allergy symptoms should consult an allergist before eating any other kind of shellfish. Fish and shellfish allergies are uncommon, but serious: An allergy to seafood can result in anaphylaxis—a life-threatening allergic reaction. Shellfish allergy is immunologically mediated reaction to shellfish which occurs within minutes to hours after taking shellfish. What are Shellfish Allergies? Metabisulfite reactions. This means that when you ingest shellfish, your immune system overreacts by producing IgE antibodies which bind to mast cells. It may also cause stomach upset such as nausea, vomiting, cramping and possibly diarrhea. Additionally, people with shellfish allergies do not necessarily have to eat it to have a reaction. While signs of an allergic reaction to shellfish may take some time to appear, they may manifest right away in some cases. Though surprisingly common, shellfish allergies are unusual in that they often make their first appearance, without warning, in adulthood. However, a non-IgE mediated … Shellfish allergies occur when the immune system responds to a muscle protein called tropomyosin present in different species of shellfish [2].After which the antibodies start releasing chemicals like histamine to attack the tropomyosin resulting in allergy symptoms. Considering that shellfish allergies send more people to emergency rooms than any other food allergy, including peanut allergy, it’s also one of the most dangerous. Some people with shellfish allergy react to all shellfish; others respond to only specific kinds. Find out common symptoms of allergic reactions and how to respond. If you have suffered any of the above symptoms after eating or being contact with shellfish, or fumes from shellfish being cooked you should consult your doctor who may refer you to an allergy specialist. Most reactions are IgE-mediated with rapid onset and may be gastrointestinal, cutaneous, or respiratory. "Someone may get … Like a shellfish allergy, a fish allergy can cause a serious and potentially fatal allergic reaction. Shellfish allergy symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, but they tend to be severe in most cases. () Shellfish refers to aquatic animals that have a shell or a shell-like exoskeletonThis includes crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, clams, oysters and mussels. Shellfish allergy symptoms tend to develop immediately after eating shellfish. This chemical induces allergic reactions in the human body. This shellfish allergy test provides a quick and relatively safe way to detect allergies. 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