Pistachio allergy L27., T78.0, T78.1

The allergenicity of the pistachio (Pistacia vera) varies from country to country. Precise epidemiological data are not known. Belonging to the group of botanically different nuts, there are broad serological and clinical cross-reactions between the individual nuts (nuts, stone fruits, capsule fruits). The pistachio cross-reacts with cashew nut. It is currently unclear to which allergen families these cross-reactivities are attributable.

With the exception of manganese peroxide dismutase (Pis v 4), the allergens identified so far in the pistachio belong to the storage proteins. Pis v 2, Pis v 5: 11S-globulins - older designation Legumine, PIs v 3: 75-globulins - older designation Viciline, Pis v 1: 15-albumine.

The rate of sensitization to more than 1 nut increases with age. In the age of 12-13 years it is > 80% (Clark 2005).

1. Clark AT et al(2005) The development and progression of allergy to multiple nuts at different ages(1), Ewan PW. Pediatric Allergy Immunol 16: 507-511.
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3. Keynan N et al (1997) Allergenicity of the pollen of Pistacia. Allergy 52: 323-330.
4. Lange L et al (2015) Molecular diagnostics for peanut allergy: Lipid transfer proteins. In: Kleine-Tebbe J et al. Hrsg Molecular allergy diagnostics. Springer Verlag Berlin-Heidelberg S 217-227.
5. Noorbakhsh R et al (2010) Influence of processing on the allergenic properties of pistachio nut assessed in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 58:10231-10235.