Doctors discover ‘missing link’ in much-debated allergy

Case report reveals the three phases of symptoms seen in severe allergy to histamine in food

Doctors say they have found the ‘missing link’ that explains severe food allergy caused by histamines in foods such as pizza, after treating a patient with three distinct symptom phases. 

The 36-year-old man presented with episodes of recurrent, dry flushing that occurred every 3-6 weeks involving his neck, chest and inner arms and thighs. 

It was preceded by gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, malaise, fatigue and a fever, lasting for two days, say the doctors from the family and internal medicine departments at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary. 

He also had lack of appetite, occasional vomiting and a pulsating unilateral headache.