title: Hazelnut allergy: a multi-faced condition with demographic and geographic characteristics.
abstract: Hazelnut (Corylus avellana) allergy varies from rather mild oral allergy symptoms to potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis and exhibits geographic and age-related variations. Severity of symptoms depends on the sensitisation profile of the patient and can partially be predicted using 'component-resolved diagnosis'. In our region (young) children predominantly exhibit sensitisation to hazelnut storage proteins Cor a 9 and Cor a 11 that is unrelated to birch pollen allergy and is generally associated with a more severe clinical outcome on consumption on raw and processed hazelnut. In contrast, adults predominantly present with an oral allergy syndrome due to an extensive cross-reactivity between the labile Cor a 1.04 and Bet v 1, the major allergen from birch (Betula verrucosa) pollen. In the absence of a cure, avoidance remains the key measure of effective management, particularly in those patients presenting with a severe form.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Allergology, Rheumatology, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium. immuno@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ebo
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Verweij
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sabato
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hagendorens
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Bridts
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: De Clerck
mesh_terms: D052179:Antigens, Plant / Q000276:immunology*; D031211:Corylus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D021184:Nut Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D052179:Antigens, Plant