[Hypersensitivity to poppy seeds].

Hypersensitivity to poppy seeds is rare and it may develop due to immune (allergy) and non-immune reactions of fulminant course. Two cases of hypersensitivity to poppy seeds are presented: in a 21-year-old woman and 32-year-old man in whom life-threatening symptoms and signs of anaphylaxis (SSA) developed after consumption of poppy seeds in various situations, e.g in the street after consumption of a roll with poppy seeds or a cake prepared on a moulding board on which poppy seeds were previously squeezed. In the case of the woman, history data pointed to familial and individual occurrence of atopy, and positive cutaneous prick tests with allergens of grass/crop and weed pollen and tree pollen (birch, hazel) as well as hazelnuts. In the man the anamnesis and skin prick tests were negative. Serum concentrations of allergen-specific IgE (asIgE) for poppy seeds and, additionally, for food allergens, which, according to patients, also could be the cause of SSA: celery, pineapple, mixture of spices and nuts were determined. In the woman elevated concentrations of asIgE for celery (class 2) and nut mixture (class 2) with negative result for poppy were noted, whereas in the man elevated concentrations of asIgE for poppy (class 2) and nut mixture (class 2) were found. Additionally, in the male patient skin tests were performed with topical anesthetics and narcotic analgesics derived from poppy (morphine, codeine) finding positive reactions to xylocaine and codeine.

CONCLUSIONS

The two presented cases illustrate that hypersensitivity to poppy seeds may occur in IgE-dependent or non-immune mechanisms and the presence of atopy is not decisive of its mechanism.