Immediate hypersensitivity to marine snail (cerithidea obtusa) allergen among local patients with atopic diseases

Salahudin Abd Aziz Norazlin, Misnan Rosmilah, Mohamad Yadzir Zailatul Hani, Bakhtiar Faizal, Abdullah Noormalin, Murad Shahnaz,

Abstract

Snail allergy is rare, but it can lead to severe allergic reactions. Life-threatening reactions including anaphylactic shock have been often reported after snail consumption. Cerithidea obtusa is a commonly consumed sea snail in Malaysia and other Asian countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of immediate hypersensitivity reactions to this species of snail by skin prick test (SPT). Snail proteins were extracted from the snail flesh. A total of 131 patients with atopic diseases were skin prick tested with the snail extract. Out of 131 subjects, 10 (8%) were sensitized to C. obtusa extract. Most of these subjects are allergic rhinitis (70%), allergic conjunctivitis (60%), asthma (20%) and food allergic (20%) patients. As a conclusion, this study showed that the immediate hypersensitivity to marine snail, C. obtusa exists among local atopic patients at a low frequency of 8%. It seems like a patient with C. obtusa sensitization is also probably to be sensitized to other shellfish.

References

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