Shellfish allergy

[hawaiijulia]

I last year I had a severe bout of gastroenteritis while on holiday in Mexico. Since then every time I eat prawns or crab I have severe vomiting starting 3 hrs after eating. I also feel clammy and faint! Each event (there have been three) seems to get worse!
Is this an allergy and should I avoid shellfish or have I just got a sensitised gut?

[Dr Helen Brough]

You may have an allergy to crab and prawns as shellfish allergy may start in adulthood (unlike many other food allergies like cow's milk or egg allergy which usually start during infancy). The alternative would be that each time you ate prawns or crabs that they were off which is unlikely. I would suggest seeing an Allergist for skin prick testing to shellfish. It would be useful if you bring along raw and cooked crab, prawns and other shellfish (cooked and transported in separate bags) for modified skin prick testing to the appointment.

Dr Helen Brough
Consultant in Paediatric Allergy