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Case Report

 

Anaphylaxis caused by cauliflower

 

E. Hernández1, S. Quirce1, M. Villalba2, J. Cuesta1, J. Sastre1

1 Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Servicio de Alergia
2 Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Química, Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular Madrid. Spain

J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol 2005; Vol. 15(2): 158-159

 

 Abstract


Background: Cauliflower is a vegetable belonging to the family Cruciferae, genus Brassica, var. Botrytis.

Methods
: We report the case of a 70 year-old man who suffered an acute episode consisting of oropharyngeal itching, facial and hand swelling, dyspnea and severe bronchospasm within a few minutes after eating vegetable paella containing cauliflower, green beans, red and green pepper. Due to the severity of the reaction he needed treatment in the emergency room.

Results:
Skin prick tests with common aeroallergens were positive to Cupressus, Platanus and grass pollen. A strong skin prick test response was obtained with cauliflower and peach lipid transfer protein. Skin prick test with rice, green beans and pepper were negative. Specific IgE determinations were positive to cabbage and cauliflower, and negative to mustard.

Conclusions
: The clinical history and the results of the allergologic work-up point out to this patient having experienced an IgE-mediated anaphylactic reaction to cauliflower. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of anaphylaxis due to cauliflower.

Key words
: anaphylaxis, food allergy, cauliflower, vegetables.