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Case Report

 

Anaphylaxis Following Ingestion of Mango Fruit

 

VL Hegde and YP Venkatesh

Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, India

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2007; Vol. 17 (5): 341-344

 

 Abstract


Allergic reactions to fresh fruits and nuts have become increasingly common. Mango (Mangifera indica) is a popular fruit eaten all over the world. We report the case of a 43-year-old woman who experienced oropharyngeal itching, swelling of the face and other parts of the body, and diffi culty breathing within a few minutes of eating ripe mango fruit. The woman had no history of pollen or latex allergy.
However, she reported instances of milder food allergic reactions to Indian dill and cashew apple. Skin prick tests using mango fruit pulp, Indian dill, and cashew apple extracts were positive. Prick tests with a panel of common grass and weed pollen extracts were negative.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for mango-specific serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E was positive. A specific protein allergen in mango
could not be detected by immunoblotting. Based on the strongly positive clinical history and results of allergy testing, it was concluded that the woman had IgE-mediated anaphylactic reactions to mango fruit.

Key words: Anaphylaxis. Anacardiaceae. Angioedema. Food allergy. Immediate hypersensitivity. Mango.