Allergy to cassava: a new allergenic food with cross-reactivity to latex.
Patients who are allergic to latex (Hevea brasiliensis) may exhibit cross-hypersensitivity with foods. We present a case of anaphylaxis due to cassava in a patient suffering from pollinosis, latex allergy, and latex-fruit syndrome. We performed sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting with cassava, avocado, chestnut, banana, kiwi, and latex extracts in order to analyze the protein bands and their molecular weights, and identify immunoglobulin (Ig) E-binding bands. Immunoblot inhibition and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibition were performed with latex in order to assess cross-reactivity. Cassava exhibited numerous protein bands, 5 of which were IgE-binding (89.75, 46.28, 26.68, 21.38, and 19.49 kd). These cassava IgE-binding bands were 100% inhibited by preincubation of the patient's serum with latex extract. The ELISA inhibition between latex and cassava was 23%. Our results confirm cassava as another food with clinical cross-reactivity in patients suffering from latex allergy.
Ibero
M
M
Unitat d'Al-lèrgia, Hospital de Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain. marcel_ibero@hotmail.com
Castillo
M J
MJ
Pineda
F
F
D000328:Adult; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007840:Latex / Q000276:immunology*; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology; D002365:Manihot / Q000276:immunology*
D007840:Latex