The allergic often knows with which irritant the abnormal reactions in his body are associated. In this case, unexpectedly, he may develop an allergy to other substances, which at the molecular level are the "counterparts" of the main allergen. Let's get acquainted with the concept of "cross-allergy", a table with possible types of allergens will help in this.
What is cross-allergy?
Due to contact with substances that are close in chemical structure with an allergen that causes characteristic symptoms in a person, a so-called cross-allergy may appear. The mechanism of appearance of an inadequate immune response is due to the fact that these substances in their composition have similar sets of amino acids, to which the body can react by the production of certain protective antibodies. It is important to be able to predict what a cross-reaction can be (a table with the indication of potentially dangerous substances should be for every allergic person).
Cross-allergy in tables
The conducted researches led to the fact that a table was created, the cross allergy to additional stimuli in which is determined by the main revealed allergenic substance. The cause of cross-allergy is not in all cases connected with the common origin of the stimuli. Crossings are observed between different plant families: cereals and cruciferous, birch and composite, birch and umbrella, etc.
A cross allergy to the birch is common - on the pollen of this tree blooming around April-May. If an allergy to birch is found, cross-products that are dangerous to humans in terms of allergenicity are carrots, potatoes, apples, plums, kiwi, celery, etc. With the inhalation of the pollen of this tree, if you eat these fruits, you may experience allergies .
Cross-allergy to pollen
In the table below, there are plants whose pollen particles often exhibit increased sensitivity, but on the contrary - flowering plants and plant fruits that have a similar combination of amino acids as the pollen allergen. Here are not all the existing, but only the most common provocateurs pollinosis.
Pollen allergens | Cross pollen allergens | Cross Food Allergens |
| Birch | Alder, chestnut, apple, pear, plum, cereal, wormwood, rape, olive, ash, oak, cherry, peach, apricot | Apples, pears, cherries, cherries, hazelnuts, carrots, potatoes, soybeans, banana, orange, tomato, anise, red pepper, coriander, celery, kiwi |
Cereals | Birch, wormwood, olive, sunflower, rape | Sorrel, tomato, celery, rice, kiwi, melon, stone, pome, bread |
Ambrosia | Wormwood, chamomile, sunflower, dandelion | Sunflower seeds, melon, cucumber, celery, bananas |
| Sagebrush | Cereals, birch, ragweed, turn, dandelion, calendula, chamomile, dahlia, daisy, olive, elecampane, sunflower, cereals | Sunflower seeds, honey, parsley, carrots, fennel, stone, pomegranate, peanuts, hazel, anise, coriander, red pepper, peas, dill, tomato, chicory, citrus |
Sunflower | Ambrosia, wormwood, cereals, dandelion, chamomile, olive | Sunflower seeds and oil, mustard, mayonnaise |
| Quinoa | - | Beet, spinach |
| Lilac | Olive, ash | - |
| Poplar | Willow | - |
| Rape | Cereals, birch | - |
| Ash | Lilac, olive, birch | - |
Cross Food Allergy
In many cases, it appears that, for example, an allergy to cow's milk protein is associated with increased sensitization of the body to beef, veal and some other protein foods. This happens if there is an allergy to chicken protein. Between different types of food and other varieties of allergens, a food allergy cross-section is possible, the table contains the main probable combinations.
Food product | Products and non-food allergens, giving cross reactions |
Seafood, caviar, fish food | |
Egg | Chicken meat, quail eggs and meat, ducklings, mayonnaise, chicken feather, some medicines with the inclusion of protein components |
Cow's milk | Milk products, goat milk, beef, veal, meat products from them, fermented medications from the pancreas of cattle |
Yeast kefir | Yeast dough, kvass, mushrooms, mold types of cheeses, molds, antibiotics-penicillins |
Carrot | Celery, parsley, vitamin A |
Potatoes | Tomatoes, paprika, aubergines, capsicum, tobacco |
Other varieties of nuts, sesame, poppy, birch pollen, kiwi, rice, buckwheat, oatmeal | |
Strawberry | Any red berries, persimmons |
Nightshade, soybeans, green peas, stone fruit, latex | |
Melon, wheat gluten, avocado, kiwi, latex |
Cross-allergy to antibiotics
Many drugs with a similar structure show cross reactions, and antibiotic allergy is one of the leading places. Cross-sectional allergy, a table for common antibiotic drugs is presented below. With her help, you can understand the treatment with which drugs should be avoided on a par with the main allergen.
Antibiotic | Medications and products that cross-react |
Penicillin | Cephalosporins, yeast, beer, rennet cheeses, meat of birds and animals that received mixed fodder |
Sulfonamides | Novocaine, Anestezine, Dicaine, Almagel, Biseptol, Furosemide, Hypothiazide, Antibus |
Tetracycline | Morphocycline, Rondomycin, Oletetrin, Metacyclin |
Levomycetin | Synthomycin |
Streptomycin | Aminoglycosides |
Cross-allergy to household dust
Often diagnosed as an allergy to house dust mite, avoid contact with which it is difficult. Considering which stimuli in this case a cross-allergy is possible, we will not enter them into the table, but simply list:
- crustaceans;
- mollusks;
- snails;
- oysters;
- molds;
- pollen of plants.
How is cross-allergy manifested?
Symptomatic, when there are cross-reactions in allergies, often does not differ from the manifestations of the reaction to the main stimulus. For example, if there is an allergy to fish that is manifested by a rash, itchy skin, a cough, then similar signs of cross reactivity should be expected. The disease can be manifested in mild, moderate or severe form.
What to do with allergies?
Cross products with allergies, as well as the main allergen, should be excluded. In some cases of seasonal pollinosis it is recommended not to eat allergenic foods during the flowering season of the causative plant. In other respects, the therapy is identical - antihistamines, systemic and local corticosteroids, specific immunotherapy are used.