Allergen Encyclopedia

Table of Contents

Whole Allergen

f207 Clam

f207 Clam Scientific Information

Type:

Whole Allergen

Display Name:

Clam

Allergen code:

f207

Family:

Veneridae

Latin Name:

Clam

Other Names:

Clam

Route of Exposure

Cooked, often in sauces

Clinical Relevance

Occupational asthma and food allergy caused by clam have been reported (1, 2).

Other Topics

The Manilla clam, also referred to as littleneck clam or carpet shell, is a hard shell clam cultivated on a very large scale in, for example, Japan, and then frozen whole and exported widely. It is commonly used around the world, for instance, in clam sauce for pasta or just steamed. This clam is closely related to quahogs and cockles and cross-reactivity to other bivalves cannot be excluded.

Occupational asthma and food allergy caused by clam have been reported (1, 2).

Molecular Aspects

Cross Reactivity

Cross-reactivity with other bivalves cannot be excluded. A study by Eriksson et al. demonstrated cross-reactivity between clam, krill and oyster (3).

Compiled By

Last reviewed : June 2022

References

Desjardins A, Malo JL, L'Archeveque J, Cartier A, Mccants M, Lehrer SB.Occupational IgE-mediated sensitization and asthma caused by clam and shrimp. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1995;96;608-17.
Castillo R, Carrilo T, Blanco C, Quiralte J, Cuevas M. Shellfish hypersensitivity:clinical and immunological characteristics. Allergol Immunopathol Madr 1994;22:83-7.
Eriksson NE, Ryden B, Jonsson P. Hypersensitivity to larvae of chironomids (non-biting midges). Allergy 1989;44:305-13.