The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2014 , Vol 56 , Num 3
Cross-Reactivity Syndromes: Presentation of Two Cases and Review of the Literature
Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine,
Izmir, Turkey. E-mail: drsakinekar83@hotmail.com
Cross-reactivity has important consequences in some immune disorders,
including allergic and autoimmune diseases, which can affect both diagnostic and
therapeutic approaches. One of the most common cross-reactivity syndromes
is pollen-food syndrome (PFS). The patient is sensitized with pollen by the
airways and exhibits an allergic reaction to food antigen with a structural
similarity to the pollen. PFS usually presents with pruritus and swelling of
the mouth and throat during or just after ingestion of fresh, uncooked fruits
and vegetables. Latex fruit syndrome is another cross-reactivity syndrome. It
is the association of latex allergy and allergy to plant foods, which affects
up to 50% of latex-allergic patients. Here, we present two cases with crossreactivity
syndrome.
Keywords :
cross-reactivity, latex-fruit syndrome, pollen-food syndrome.