title: Allergic reactions during allergy skin testing with food allergens.
abstract: Skin testing is a reliable and safe way to diagnose IgE-mediated allergies, with rare side-effects. Two cases of systemic allergic reactions during skin testing to food allergens are hereby reported. A 28-year-old male reported allergic reactions, mild to moderate in severity, each time he tasted fish in the frame of his professional duties. During SPT and prick-to-prick to raw and cooked fishes, he presented urticaria and tachycardia. A 59-year-old male had a long history of urticaria-angioedema and asthma attacks, following the consumption of mammalian meat. He was skin-tested to various meats and during the 5 last minutes of the test he developed generalized urticaria, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. They were both advised to completely avoid the relative allergens. In conclusion, skin testing, particularly prick-to-prick, may cause anaphylaxis. Tests should be performed only by physicians with proper training in allergy, experienced in treating promptly and properly episodes of anaphylaxis.
authors.affiliation: Allergy Outpatient Dept, Social Insurance Institute for Hotel Employees, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pitsios
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kontou-Fili
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens