Most food allergies were came from eating fish and seafood, but a chicken can also cause an allergic reaction. Poultry allergy or chicken allergy is a rare type of food allergy that is caused by consuming chicken meat and egg.

Intolerances

Normally when you are allergic to egg, you can also be allergic to chicken meat – this is also known as the bird-egg syndrome. A substance called alpha-livetin that is found in egg yolk is the cause of egg allergy. It can also be found in chicken serum which connects the two allergies. Inhaling or touching chicken feathers can also cause respiratory problems. There were cases that the allergy became unknown when a person is allergic to chicken but not to egg.

Symptoms

Chicken allergy symptoms can occur after several hours. It can range from mild to severe. Since it is a rare allergy, one should be aware of the signs and symptoms. The following are the most common reactions:

• sore throat
• hives
• irritated skin
• swollen throat, tongue, eyes or lips
• diarrhea
• stomach cramps
• nausea or vomiting
• sneezing
• whizzing
• anaphylaxis (severe)

Risk and Complications

A person with skin allergy is more prone to chicken allergy. In addition, one should avoid these foods:

• partridge
• eggs (raw and uncooked)
• turkey
• geese
• fish and shrimp
• pheasant
• chicken broth
• duck

The risk of having a chicken allergy is when it develops to a more serious condition called anaphylaxis. Some symptoms may include low blood pressure, swollen throat, heart palpitation, loss of consciousness and trouble breathing.

Management and Treatment

The allergy specialist will perform a blood test to determine the severity of the chicken allergy. The result may take up to weeks. It will be followed by an allergy elimination test, which lasts from three to four weeks, that will require to remove foods related to chicken in the person’s diet. 

After complete assessment, the specialist can prescribe an antihistamine to treat symptoms of chicken allergy and cortisone to relieve inflammation of the skin. In the event that it got worse and turned into anaphylaxis, he can administer epinephrine injection to the patient.

Conclusion

There is nothing wrong in enjoying meals, but we should monitor every food we eat on the table. In case of emergency, better go first to a doctor rather than treating yourself without a single consultation. It will also help us to analyze if it’s just a false alarm or a serious issue.