Oral Allergy Syndrome – a Short Review with Own Experience

Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) is an allergic reaction to certain food which occur in atopic patients with hayfever and/or atopic asthma. The symptoms may be present throughout the year while eating the specific food, although they are more severe during the pollen season. The most common symptoms are burning and itching of mouth, lips and throat. The swelling of the lips, tongue or throat may occur. Occasionaly, more serious symptoms may appear, including anaphylactic shock. Allergic reactions to certain food are usually associated with the allergy against spe− cific pollen. The most frequent allergenic foods are: kiwi, nuts, apple, celery or parsley. The treatment of OAS is very difficult and frequently unsatisfactory, and mainly lies in avoidance of allergenic food. The problem is usual− ly life long. The article summerises briefly the current knowledge on this syndrome. The authors also present a case report of a female patient with diagnosed OAS (Dent. Med. Probl. 2004, 41, 4, 599–602).