title: Safety of chitosan bandages in shellfish allergic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2005, the Office of the Surgeon General mandated that every soldier carry a HemCon bandage. Made from chitosan, a polysaccharide derived from shrimp shells, this bandage effectively stops bleeding. There are no studies reporting the safety of this bandage in shellfish allergic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who reported shellfish allergy were recruited. Initial assessment included a detailed history, IgE skin prick testing (SPT), and serum testing to shellfish allergens. Participants who demonstrated specific shellfish IgE underwent a bandage challenge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen participants were enrolled; 10 completed the study. Seven (70%) were male and the average age was 44.8 + 10 years. Nine (90%) reported a shrimp allergy history and five (50%) reported multiple shellfish allergies. All participants completing the study had positive SPT and serum IgE testing to at least one shellfish; eight (80%) had shrimp positive SPT and ten (100%) demonstrated shrimp-specific IgE. No participant had a positive SPT to chitosan powder or experienced an adverse reaction during bandage challenges. No protein bands were visualized during gel electrophoresis analysis of chitosan powder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All participants tolerated the HemCon bandage without reaction. This is the first study demonstrating the safety of this bandage in shellfish allergic subjects.
authors: Allergy/Immunology Service, Department of Medicine, 3851 Roger Brooke Drive, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA.
authors: Kirk H
authors: KH
authors: Waibel
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Haney
authors: Merrideth
authors: M
authors: Moore
authors: Bonnie
authors: B
authors: Whisman
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Gomez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001458:Bandages; D048271:Chitosan / Q000276:immunology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012758:Shellfish / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012882:Skin Tests; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D048271:Chitosan