Study Reports Seafood Allergies Often Begin Later In Life

In all, about 11 million people – roughly 1-in-25 Americans – are now believed to be affected by one or more food allergies, a disease triggered by the ingestion of certain foods that may cause life-threatening reactions, or anaphylaxis, according to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a co-investigator of the nationwide survey.

Seafood, common in the U.S. diet, includes fish (cod, salmon and tuna, for example), and shellfish (shrimp, crab and lobster, squid, scallop, clams, mussels, and snails). The study showed that a shellfish allergy is reported by 1-in-50 Americans and a fish allergy by 1-in-250.

The reported rate of onset was during adulthood for approximately 60 percent with shellfish allergies and 40 percent with fish allergies. In all age groups, adults reported a prevalence of at least 2.5 percent, while among children the highest prevalence reported was 0.8% in the 6-17 age group.

Among adults, women reported more allergies than men, and among children boys were affected more often than girls. The highest rate (3.7 percent) of seafood allergies was reported by African-Americans.

"Further studies are needed to determine the reason for women and minorities having a higher rate of seafood allergy, whether it is cultural eating differences, associations with environment exposures or other explanations," said Scott Sicherer, MD, assistant professor of pediatric allergy and immunology in the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and co-author on the study. "What we do know is that seafood-allergic reactions may be potentially life threatening and should be taken very seriously, yet many of the participants did not seek proper diagnosis and treatment. We need to get the word out so that sufferers get an appropriate diagnosis and can learn how to prevent and treat reactions to ensure their safety."

The rate of prevalence may be attributed to growing seafood consumption, both finfish and shellfish, has increased by 25 percent since 1970. More specifically, the seafood consumption rate has risen from a per capita consumption of 12.5 pounds in 1970 to 15.6 pounds in 2002. (Source: http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2003/sep03/noaa03105.html, accessed December 2003.)

A high number of recurrent and severe reactions were reported in the study. Multiple reactions were reported by 53 percent for fish and 57 percent for shellfish. In 55 percent of fish reactions and 40 percent of shellfish reactions, evaluation by a physician or care in an emergency room was sought. Treatment of severe symptoms and administration of epinephrine, the drug of choice for treating a severe allergic reaction, was reported in only 15 percent of seafood-allergic patients.

"FAAN has launched a Seafood Allergy Registry to learn more about this national healthcare issue. We encourage anyone with a seafood allergy to participate," said Anne Muñoz-Furlong, CEO and founder of FAAN, a patient advocacy group. "We are hopeful that through the Seafood Allergy Registry we can learn much more about why allergic reactions begin in adulthood, why the reactions are so severe as well as how to avoid such severe reactions. The findings will not only help seafood allergic individuals, but the seafood and food industry, especially in the areas of food labeling and product development."

The FAAN Seafood Registry

Launched in 2003, the seafood registry is open to anyone with an allergy to any type of fish or shellfish. Surveys were initially sent to FAAN's 26,000 members and allergists who are members of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology or the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Forms are available to download from FAAN's website, www.foodallergy.org.

About the Study

Nearly 15,000 people were surveyed in the telephone study conducted in 2002 by FAAN and Drs. Scott H. Sicherer and Hugh A. Sampson, from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The study was sponsored by The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI), The Jaffe Family Foundation, and The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN).

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About The Mount Sinai Medical Center

The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The Mount Sinai Hospital is one of the nation's oldest, largest and most-respected voluntary hospitals. Founded in 1852, Mount Sinai today is a 1,171-bed tertiary-care teaching facility that is internationally-acclaimed for excellence in clinical care. Last year, nearly 48,000 people were treated at Mount Sinai as inpatients, more than 72,000 received care in the emergency department, and the outpatient department recorded nearly 470,000 visits. Mount Sinai School of Medicine is internationally-recognized as a leader in ground-breaking clinical and basic-science research, as well as innovative approaches to medical education. Mount Sinai ranks 9th among the nation's 125 medical schools in the percentage of graduates who go on to faculty positions in medical schools across the country. Mount Sinai also is in the top 25 in receipt of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants with a total of more than $154 million during Fiscal Year 2003. Information about Mount Sinai can be found online at: http://www.mountsinai.org and http://www.mssm.edu

About FAAN

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is a Virginia-based, nonprofit organization with more than 26,000 members in the United States and worldwide. Established in 1991, FAAN's mission is to increase awareness, to provide education and advocacy, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis. For more information, visit the FAAN web site at www.foodallergy.org or call (800)929-4040. Contact the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology or the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology to reach a board-certified allergist.