Food Allergies- A new study finds that children undergoing blood transfusions could develop some kind of fatal food allergies. Researchers published the case study that involves an eight-year-old boy who developed food allergies two weeks after he had blood platelet transfusion.
The Canadian boy who is being treated for his brain tumor was found to have severe food allergies particularly to salmon, a food he has eaten for years.
The case of the boy was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Tuesday. The incident surprised the doctors involved in treating the little boy who stated that the boy received blood platelet transfusion and suddenly he developed the fatal food allergies.
"Right away, we wondered what has happening that was different," Dr. Julia Upton, the boy's allergist and the study author, told ABC News. "Why would he all the sudden react to a food that he clearly has eaten for years?"
According to the published case study, the unnamed boy suffered anaphylaxis, a stern kind of food allergy. Since he ate salmon, the boy's lips got enlarged, his face turned red, throat discomfort and fatigue. He was also found to have low blood pressure.
However, that was not the only case of the serious food allergy. Days after eating salmon, the boy was also found to have food allergies with peanuts.
Although the case of food allergies developed from receiving blood transfusion is unusual, researchers have concluded that blood donors who have food allergies may transfer the antibody to the receiver. The antibody can result to fatal food allergies, AA reported.
The Canadian Blood Services officials stated that people who are donating blood are screened in the clinics by asking for any allergy symptoms. If officials have found that the test, then that's the time they were requested to come back to donate blood.
The agency said that it is their way to halt any possible passing of food allergies from the donor to the receiver.
The only loophole with the process was the agency concluded that donors were not screened if they have food allergies. If this happens, it could hamper the nation's blood supply, an official in the agency stated, the World Tech Today reported.
