Allergy to Pumpkin and Cross-Reactivity to Pollens and Other Foods

Shell, Mark S. La; Otto, H; Whisman, Bonnie A.; Waibel, Kirk H.; White, Andrew A.; Calabria, Christopher W.

doi:10.1016/j.anai.2009.11.048

Cited by 7 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Although pumpkin allergy (PA) usually develops following consumption, reports suggest the possibility of exposure through skin contact and/or inhalation of raw pumpkin or pumpkin seed allergens, e.g. while carving pumpkin [6,9,13]. Also, PA appears to be more common in males, especially atopic patients; our patient is a boy with co-existing AD and asthma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

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Anaphylaxis following the consumption of pumpkin seeds in a two-year-old child tolerant to its pulp – a case study and a minireview

Gawryjołek

Ludwig

Żbikowska-Gotz

et al. 2020

Preprint

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BackgroundPumpkin and its seeds are increasingly consumed by children for their potential health benefits. Each day, around 30% of teenagers consume nuts and seeds, including pumpkin seeds. However, there is some evidence that pumpkin seeds may exert allergenic effects and induce severe life-threatening anaphylaxis. Allergy for melon, cucumber, and zucchini, which belong to the same Cucurbitaceae family as pumpkin, are well known, opposite to pumpkin allergy. Few descriptions of allergic reactions associated with pumpkin have been published, especially in children. To date, three cases of pumpkin pulp and two seed cases have been reported among children. Our case report describes a case of pumpkin seed anaphylaxis in a child with good tolerance of pulp.Case presentationIn the present study, a two-year-old child experienced anaphylaxis: generalized urticaria, swollen lips and increasing dyspnea following the consumption of pumpkin seeds. The history showed that although the child had been receiving elimination diet because of atopic dermatitis, the basic dietary element was pumpkin pulp. The skin-prick test was positive for pumpkin seeds (5 mm) but negative for pumpkin pulp (1 mm); allergen-specific IgE was 1.34 kUA/L for seed, and 0.37 kUA/L for pulp. The component resolved diagnosis found IgE to sesame seed, buckwheat and walnut (storage proteins). Based on these findings, severe anaphylactic reaction to pumpkin seeds was identified.ConclusionsIt is possible to develop pumpkin seed anaphylaxis in a child with a tolerance to pumpkin pulp. Pumpkin seeds allergens have not been well characterized. Homology between the amino acid sequences in storage proteins may indicate cross reactivity between different edible seeds and nuts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…Among adults, only one case with anaphylaxis to pumpkin esh has been described, and six with anaphylaxis to pumpkin seeds (Table 2) [6,12].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Anaphylaxis following the consumption of pumpkin seeds in a two-year-old child tolerant to its pulp – a case study and a minireview

Gawryjołek

Ludwig

Żbikowska-Gotz

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…On the other hand, two cases of allergy to pumpkin pulp reacted also to other Cucurbitaceae members such as cucumber and melons (87,88). Pumpkin pulp sensitivity may be associated with sensitization to peach (88,89). These reports suggest clinical cross-reactivity may occur between pumpkin seeds and members of the Rosacea family.…”

Section: Pumpkin Seed Cross-reactivitymentioning

confidence: 96%

Hypersensitivities to sesame and other common edible seeds

Patel

Bahna

2016

Allergy

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Several seeds have been increasingly incorporated in various food items, with consequent risk of hypersensitivity reactions that are often severe. Identification of the specific seed as the culprit is often not explored or is difficult to verify. In this article, we reviewed the English literature from January 1930 to March 2016 using PubMed and Google Scholar searching for publications relevant to hypersensitivity to common edible seeds, namely sesame, sunflower seed, poppy seed, pumpkin seed, flaxseed, and mustard seed. Considering the worldwide consumption of those seeds, the number of published articles on the subject was relatively small and was mainly as case reports rather than large series. Allergy to sesame was more reported than to other seeds, with an estimated prevalence of 0.1-0.2%. In this review, we summarize the information relevant to each of the six seeds and their oils regarding the manifestations, routes of exposure, identified major allergens, and cross-reactivity with other seeds or other foods. We also addressed the important role of a thorough history taking in suspecting seed allergy, the limited reliability of routine diagnostic procedures, and the importance of verification by appropriate challenge tests. At present, management is basically dietary avoidance and the use of symptomatic medications that may include epinephrine auto-injectors. We did not encounter any well-designed studies on immunotherapy for seed allergy, but it is hoped that such a gap be filled by the development of safe effective protocols in the near future.With the growing trend of incorporating seeds in diet, hypersensitivity reactions have been increasingly occurring but are rarely suspected. The problem is compounded by the difficulty in identifying the culprit and the apparent underreporting. MethodsIn this article, we review the English literature from January 1930 to March 2016 using PubMed and Google Scholar. Special attention was directed to hypersensitivity reactions to commonly consumed seeds, namely sesame, sunflower, poppy, flaxseed, and pumpkin seed, and their respective oils. We also summarize the studies on the identified allergens and the cross-reactivities among these seeds and with other foods.

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“…Rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, phytosterols and secoisolariciresinol, a lignan acting as phytoestrogen and anti-ox-pulp allergy can be part of the latex-fruit syndrome (51). Finally, it may be associated with sensitization to peach (50,52). For Cucurbita sp.…”

Section: Medicinal Bioactivities Of Pumpkin Seedsmentioning

confidence: 99%