While cases of escargot allergies are not as common as seafood allergies in the United States, they are no less dramatic. An escargot allergy can cause symptoms usually associated with asthma and can result in anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal. However, mild symptoms such as hives and oral allergy syndrome are also reported. You can tell allergic reactions to escargots from escargot poisoning by the intensity of the reaction.
Mild Allergic Reactions
Mild allergic reactions in people with escargot allergies include the components of oral allergy syndrome: wheezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, red, itchy and watery eyes, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Other signs of escargot allergies are hives, itching, eczema, facial swelling and redness of the lips, gums, palate and tongue. These are the body’s reaction to the allergen from the escargot, and they are caused by the histamine released in your body’s immunoglobulin E, or IgE, response.
Anaphylaxis
Severe escargot allergies can cause an anaphylactic reaction, which can be life-threatening. This reaction presents very much like asthma, since it also involves airway constriction. Other signs of anaphylaxis from escargot allergies include a severe drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse, shock, dizziness and fainting.
Tests and Cross-sensitivity
To find out if you have escargot allergy, your doctor can do a skin test or a blood test. During a skin test, your skin is pricked and exposed to the allergen in escargot. If you are allergic, a hive will develop at the test site. For a blood test, a blood sample is taken after you are exposed to the allergen in escargot. The amount of allergen-specific IgE antibodies produced determine if you are allergic to escargot.
Escargot allergy is highly linked to allergy to dust mites, and this is why asthma and rhinitis are the commonest symptoms of the allergy. For this reason, there is a good chance of developing severe escargot allergies if you have undergone desensitization therapy to dust mite extracts. In some people, allergy to shrimp and other shellfish produce a cross-sensitivity to escargot.
Treatment
While it is best to avoid escargot if you know you are allergic to it, sometimes you may unknowingly ingest some. For mild allergic reactions, take antihistamines to treat the symptoms and reduce the discomfort. However, if you develop a severe allergic reaction involving a swollen throat, wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness and lightheadedness, you need an emergency injection of epinephrine and urgent medical care.
