چکیده (انگلیسی):

Background: Parvalbumin and collagen have been identified as cross-reactive allergens for fish allergies.
Although doctors realize that various fish elicit allergies, the targets of food allergen labeling laws were
only mackerels and salmons in Japan and mackerels in South Korea. This study aimed to reveal the
causative species for fish allergy via questionnaires and blood tests.
Methods: Questionnaire research was conducted in Japan via the internet concerning allergies for fishallergic
patients or their family members. Next, IgE reactivities and cross-reactivities of 26 fish species
were analyzed using sera obtained from 16 Japanese patients who were allergic to fish parvalbumin or
collagen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and inhibition ELISA.
Results: Questionnaire research revealed that 88% patients cannot eat mackerel and salmon in addition
to other fish. In addition, 85% respondents were not satisfied with the current food allergen labeling law.
In ELISA analyses, we clarified that pooled serum obtained from patients with fish parvalbumin-specific
allergies exhibited IgE reactivity to the extracts of most fish species, and pooled serum obtained from
patients with fish collagen-specific allergies displayed IgE reactivity to the extracts of all types of fish.
Inhibition ELISA experiments revealed cross-reactivities of parvalbumin or collagen to extracts from all
fish tested.
Conclusions: Most patients with fish allergies displayed allergic symptoms following the intake of
various fish species. In addition, fish parvalbumin and collagen were causative factors of fish allergy and
were highly cross-reactive fish panallergens. Therefore, current laws should be revised in Japan and
South Korea.