The Seasonal Risk of Food Allergies in Albania: Focus on Fish and Crustaceans
Griselda Korçari
, Mirela Lika (Çekani) , Artan Trebicka
Keywords: Seafood Allergy,IgE Antibodies,Seasonal Variation,Albanian Population
Introduction: Food allergies, particularly to seafood, are becoming increasingly common worldwide, posing significant health risks to individuals across all age groups. Allergic reactions to seafood can be severe, including symptoms such as oral allergy syndrome, urticaria, angioedema, gastrointestinal distress, and anaphylaxis. The primary allergens in fish and shellfish are heat-stable proteins that remain active even after cooking. While most allergic reactions are immediate, some may occur hours after consumption, particularly in individuals allergic to mollusks. This study focuses on assessing the risk of seafood, in the Albanian population by analyzing the prevalence of specific IgE antibodies across different seasons. Understanding these patterns is crucial for improving diagnosis, management, and prevention strategies for food allergies in Albania Materials and methods. The study included a total of 353 participants from different age groups across the Albanian Republic. Blood samples were collected from July to December 2023 to measure specific IgE antibodies against food allergens using the Polycheck reagent, which tests for 30 allergens. Results and discussions: To facilitate data analysis, the test results were organized into three seasons: summer (July-August), autumn (September-October), and winter (November-December). Tuna had the highest prevalence in the summer season (27.05%), followed by crab (13.11%), while shrimp had the lowest (0.82%) IN Summer season. In autumn, crab had the highest prevalence (7.48%), followed by tuna and shrimp (both at 2.8%). During the winter season, crab again had the highest prevalence (5.65%), followed by clam shell (4.03%). No positive IgE cases were identified for codfish. Using SPSS version 21, significant correlations were found between: • Tuna and Codfish: (p=0.000) • Shrimp and Crab: (p=0.035) Conclusion: The prevalence of food allergies to fish and crustaceans varies significantly by season in the Albanian population. These findings suggest the need for greater awareness and education for consumers and healthcare professionals on the importance of early diagnosis and management of food allergies •
"The Seasonal Risk of Food Allergies in Albania: Focus on Fish and Crustaceans", IJSDR - International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (www.IJSDR.org), ISSN:2455-2631, Vol.9, Issue 6, page no.427 - 435, June-2024, Available :https://ijsdr.org/papers/IJSDR2406053.pdf
Volume 9
Issue 6,
June-2024
Pages : 427 - 435
Paper Reg. ID: IJSDR_211684
Published Paper Id: IJSDR2406053
Downloads: 000347120
Research Area: Life Sciences
Country: TIRANA, Albania, Albania
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11546610
ISSN: 2455-2631 | IMPACT FACTOR: 9.15 Calculated By Google Scholar | ESTD YEAR: 2016
An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 9.15 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator
Publisher: IJSDR(IJ Publication) Janvi Wave
