Auckland Allergy Clinic ? WHAT?S NEW May 2005

Welcome to the Auckland Allergy Clinic web site. This section will bring you the latest breaking news in Allergy & Clinical Immunology and also additions we have made to the Clinic in the last month.

The Allergy News information provided on this web site is reviewed and approved by the Allergists at the Auckland Allergy Clinic. The information is sourced from International Medical Journals and Newspapers. These articles are chosen either because they are thought to be particularly good studies, very interesting Allergy News or relevant to New Zealand. The articles may not necessarily be the views of the editor. Where relevant the editor will add his/her comments at the bottom of the review.

These updates are provided for educational, communication and information purposes only.

Previous Newsletters:

October 2004
August 2004
March 2004
January 2004

Scombroid Poisoning (Histamine Fish Poisoning) & other Seafood-related Illnesses masquerading as Allergies

Vincent St Aubyn Crump ? May 2005

A Case Report

Was it herbal, scombrotoxic or both?

This is the third of 3 cases in the last 12 months presenting to me with symptoms consistent with a seafood allergy, where I suspect Scombroid (Histamine) fish Poisoning was the cause.

WT, is a 46 year-old professional who developed flushing, 'hives', nausea, vomiting, light-headedness & diarrhea about 20 minutes after eating a meal at a popular Ponsonby restaurant. The meal included a seared tuna salad for starter, king fish as mains & wine throughout.

20 minutes into his meal he felt 'sick' & went to the toilet, and was later found by friends slumped over the toilet. He was taken by ambulance to Auckland Public Hospital (as the restaurant staff thought he was 'having a heart attack') where he was resuscitated, observed overnight & discharged with a diagnosis of having an anaphylactic reaction to an unidentified food, most likely seafood.

WT came to see me 3 weeks later, obviously terrified of having another reaction, as "he had eaten all these foods before & loved seafood".

A skin prick test to several of the fresh food items brought in to me from the restaurant plus specific IgE (RAST-type) blood test to all common seafoods including tuna were all negative.

The only medication / tablet WF was taking at the time of the reactions was 'potent herbal multivitamin' (containing tyrosine & numerous minerals) started 1 week earlier.