Although OAS is relatively common, he doesn’t think it is increasing, at least not in North America. Ham Pong estimates about one-third of birch-allergic North Americans are affected, but the incidence of oral allergy syndrome is even higher in some European countries. Depending on where you live, anywhere from 20 to 70 per cent of people who are allergic to birch and alder pollens will also have oral allergy syndrome. Two of the biggest cross-reaction offenders are birch and alder trees. “But it’s actually more common than peanut, milk, egg, and fish allergy.” “It’s not considered a life-threatening allergy,” says Ham Pong, the author of several articles educating patients and doctors about oral allergy syndrome. Reactions are caused by a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and even spices all of which share allergenic proteins with specific hay fever-causing trees and plants. It’s a less severe form of food allergy, directly related to pollen reactions, that’s known to set off tingling and unpleasant itching in the mouth, throat and lips. Antony Ham Pong, a Canadian allergist and researcher, estimates that up to 10 per cent of the general population has a condition called oral allergy syndrome, or OAS. Not only do a third of North Americans battle hay fever – with runny noses, sinus and eye symptoms – but for a significant proportion of allergy sufferers, the spring bloom is just the start of their allergy woes. Allergic Living explores the science behind oral allergy syndrome, nature’s allergic double whammy. If trees make you sneeze, they may also give you an itchy mouth or worse to certain fruits and vegetables.
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