Mango is a nutrient-rich food. However, in cases of mango allergy, it can lead to many dangerous conditions, especially anaphylaxis. The main symptoms of mango allergy include itching, hives, and mouth swelling when in contact with mangoes. This article helps provide information about mango allergies.
1. What is a food allergy?
Food allergies are very common and can affect almost everyone at some point in their lives. They include fruits, some of which have a high tendency to cause Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), a cross-reaction between certain pollen and fruits that the body recognizes as similar.
One notable fruit for its allergenic potential is mango (Mangifera indica). Being the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, mangoes grow on trees belonging to the Anacardiaceae cashew family. This is the same plant family that includes poison oak, poison sumac, and poison ivy.
This distinction not only can make eating mangoes difficult for some people but sometimes it can also be extremely dangerous.
2. Mango Allergy and Oral Allergy Syndrome
Oral Allergy Syndrome is usually an uncomplicated form of allergy that occurs almost immediately after eating a piece of fresh fruit and typically resolves within minutes without treatment.
OAS occurs as a result of similarities in proteins found in mangoes with those found in pollen (usually birch pollen or mugwort pollen). These proteins are seen as foreign antigens by the body. Therefore upon contact, your body will quickly react against these proteins. This causes allergy symptoms and more severely, anaphylaxis.
Strangely, being allergic to tree sap can sometimes also cause OAS symptoms when eating mangoes, a condition known as latex-fruit syndrome.
Diagnosing OAS is usually done through skin testing to confirm whether there are cross-reactions between mangoes and commonly related allergens.
OAS is usually not considered a serious condition because a person's saliva can usually break down the allergen quite quickly. Therefore, any reaction is usually limited to the mouth and/or lips.
However, due to the relatively small risk of more serious reactions, people with mango allergies should avoid all raw forms of the fruit. Cooked fruit rarely causes problems.
3. Mango Allergy Can Cause Contact Dermatitis
Another type of reaction that can occur from eating mangoes is called contact dermatitis. This is particularly due to a substance found in plants of the Anacardiaceae family called urushiol.
Urushiol is the rash-causing substance from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
In mangoes, urushiol is found in high concentrations in the skin and fruit just under the skin. In most people, contact with urushiol will cause an allergic skin reaction. With mangoes, allergies may not be as common as poison oak or poison ivy, but in some cases, it can be just as severe.
This reaction, like poison oak rash, usually occurs on the face within hours after eating the fruit and can last for several days. The rash will appear as small, itchy blisters that may sometimes weep fluid.
Although this type of mango allergy is not particularly dangerous or life-threatening, it can be uncomfortable and troublesome. Treatment, when needed, will include topical or oral corticosteroids, depending on the severity of symptoms.
Diagnosis can be made based on the appearance of the rash. Testing is usually not required. If the reaction is particularly severe, patch testing may be used to confirm whether mangoes are indeed the cause of the rash.
4. Mango Allergy Can Cause Anaphylaxis
In rare cases, severe allergic reactions can be caused by eating mangoes. Called anaphylaxis, the reaction usually occurs within minutes after eating the fruit and may include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Wheezing
- Hives
- Facial swelling
- Throat tightness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Chest tightness
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Heart palpitations
- Sense of impending doom
In some cases, a person's condition can deteriorate rapidly and lead to coma, shock, cardiac or respiratory arrest, even death.
Cases where a person has a sudden, severe reaction to mangoes should receive emergency care.
People who have experienced severe allergic symptoms after eating cashews or pistachios should also avoid mangoes due to possible cross-reactions. Those at risk for anaphylaxis should always carry injectable epinephrine (such as EpiPen) in case of accidental exposure to mangoes or any cross-reactive substances.
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Reference source: verywellhealth.com
