Crayfish
Summary
Crayfish is a popular food source as it has an appealing taste and good balance of nutrition, with high levels of protein, low levels of fat and a low number of calories. With increasing consumption of crayfish, allergic reactions have become more common. Typically, allergic symptoms of shellfish allergy appear within minutes, but may occur within 1–2 hours of ingestion, including oral allergy syndrome, urticaria and/or angioedema, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains and diarrhea, or respiratory symptoms such as tightness in the chest and shortness of breath. Anaphylaxis may occur in rare cases. Cross-reactivity has been identified between shrimp, crab, lobster and crayfish allergens to a high level.
Epidemiology
Worldwide distribution
With increasing consumption of crayfish, allergic reactions have become more common.
Route Of Exposure
Main
Most allergic reactions are caused by ingestion of crayfish and are mediated by IgE.
Other topics
A case of occupational asthma caused by lobster or shrimp has been reported in a fishmonger sensitized to crayfish.
Clinical Relevance
Allergic reactions to crayfish, and other shellfish, can result in a range of clinical symptoms. Typically, allergic symptoms of shellfish allergy appear within minutes, but may occur within 1–2 hours of ingestion, including oral allergy syndrome, urticaria and/or angioedema, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains and diarrhea, or respiratory symptoms such as tightness in the chest and shortness of breath. Infrequently, anaphylactic shock may occur
Diagnostics
Real-time polymerase chain reaction has been used as a method for identification of crustaceans in food products, offering high sensitivity and specificity, even in cases where the allergenic food has been processed with aggressive treatments of temperature or pressure.
Cross-Reactivity
Cross-reactivity has been identified between shrimp, crab, lobster and crayfish allergens to a high level. Also, reports have emerged regarding cross-reactivity between shellfish and insects; this is likely due to both animals belonging to the Arthropoda phylum.
Tropomyosin is regarded as a cross-reactive allergen in shellfish TM from C. quadricarinatus has demonstrated high levels of sequence homology of 95.4–99.3% with other species of freshwater crustaceans, including Procambarus clarkii, Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Macrobrachium lanchesteri.
Cross-reactivity has been identified in MLC from crayfish by investigating reactivity with rabbit IgG. Furthermore, crayfish myofibrillar protein was shown to inhibit IgE binding by MLC from crayfish
References
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