James Cook University scientists have found material commonly used for fish allergy testing is unreliable - potentially putting lives at risk.
James Cook University scientists have found material commonly used for fish allergy testing is unreliable - potentially putting lives at risk.
A team led by PhD candidate Thimo Ruethers from JCU’s Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) evaluated 26 commercially available fish preparations used for skin prick testing, the most common way of diagnosing fish allergy in Australia.
“We found the amount of allergens present varied greatly, and in some preparations major fish allergens could not be detected. This means many skin prick tests that show a person being tested is not allergic to fish may be wrong,” said Mr Ruethers.
Professor Andreas Lopata from AITHM said the diagnosis of food allergy is fraught with problems.
Read more at James Cook University
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