Foods anaphylactic reaction caused

Bock SA, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA Further 29 fatalities caused by anaphylactic reactions to food, 2001-2006. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007 119 1016-1018. 

During an anaphylactic reaction, large quantities of inflammatory mediators are rapidly released. The resultant reaction is severe and may threaten the life of the individual. The introduction of a specific antigen— usually in food or in injected material—into a sensitized individual can cause the rapid release of mast cell contents, producing a decrease in blood pressure, impaired respiratory function, abdominal cramps, and urticaria. Extreme and severe anaphylaxis is life threatening and requires prompt medical intervention. 

In Finland, from 2000 to 2007, the frequency of cases of severe allergic reactions annually was found to be 0.001%. The reaction was a life-threatening anaphylactic shock in 26% of the mentioned cases, with no deaths reported. Food was the causative agent in 53% of the cases. Out of the foodstuffs, the majority of reactions was induced by nuts and seeds fruit and vegetables in the case of the adult population, and nuts, important allergens, for children along with milk, egg, and wheat (Makinen-Kiljunen and Haahtela, 2008). 

Sheep s milk (SM) and cheese made from sheep s milk may cause severe allergic reactions in children. In the literature data, there is an example of a 5-year-old atopic boy who experienced several anaphylactic reactions after eating food containing pecorino, a cheese made from sheep s milk. Skin-prick tests were strongly positive for sheep s buttermilk curd and pecorino sheep s cheese. Skin-prick tests for fresh... 

The antibody, a homocy to tropic antibody, circulates in the bloodstream, but has a high affinity for the surface of mast cells and binds to receptors on the surface (Fig. 6.31). This type of reaction, which occurs quickly after reexposure, underlies reactions in the respiratory system (asthma, rhinitis), skin (urticaria), gastrointestinal tract (food allergies), and vascular system (anaphylactic shock). Type I reactions can be severe, causing difficulty in breathing, loss of blood pressure, anoxia, edema in the respiratory tract, and bronchospasm, which may prove fatal. 

Allergic reactions may be trivial and local, e.g., a mild nettle-rash or hives (urticaria), or they may be general and so serious as to result in sudden death. Serious reactions are known as anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis can be caused by drugs (penicillin and others), horse serum, insect stings, foods (shellfish, nuts, eggs), pollen extracts, and various other agents. 

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