Cross-Reactivity Among Non-Plant Allergens

While patterns of cross-reactivity are clear among many plants, this pattern may not be as obvious among other types of allergens.

Cross-reactivity among mammalian or insect species is not well-defined. Certain allergenic proteins (e.g. albumin, lipocalin, tropomyosin) may contribute to cross-reactivity in some patients. Tropomysoin, for example, is a protein found in dust mites, cockroach and shrimp and can lead to cross-reactivity among these extracts.

Cross-reactivity among fungal species has not been well studied and therefore specific guidelines regarding the potential allergenic overlap of species are currently lacking. Fungal species within the same groups are generally believed to exhibit similar allergenicity, though a number of factors, such as the source material, stage of growth cycle, or manufacturing conditions could impact the allergen composition of a mold extract.