RE: Unwarranted assumption about iodine in shellfish

[Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 16:03 22.10.1996 -0500, you wrote:
>Before it dies,
>
>The allergic reactions to shellfish are often (anyway) not
>related to iodine content at all!  In fact, the major culprit,
>I believe, is toxins produced by the dinoflagellates (marine
>algae) that shellfish, as classic filter feeders, consume in
>large numbers.  When the algae is in "bloom", historically
>at certain times of the year (remember the "r" rule for eating
>oysters), these toxins may be sufficiently concentrated in the
>shellfish to be lethal to humans consuming them.  Don't eat
>oysters during red tides!
>
>A simpler test for iodine sensitivity would be to apply a small 
>amount to a skin patch.  The question of iodine sensitivity,
>by the way, is always asked of me upon blood donations since
>iodine containing antiseptics/bacteriostats are normally used
>to clean the venipuncture site prior to needle insertion.  If 
>you are sensitive and didn't know it, you will discover from
>the resulting rash/welt that indeed there is a problem!
>
>May this topic now die a quiet death! |^>
>
>S.,
>
>MikeG.
>=================================================================
Before it really dies out - fish and shellfish may contain histamines. No
expert around who could help us? I think that everybody is at least
convinced that radioactive iodine isotopes are not the cause!

Franz
Schoenhofer
Habichergasse 31/7
A-1160 WIEN
AUSTRIA/EUROPE
Tel./Fax:	+43-1-4955308
Tel.:		+43-664-3380333
e-mail:		schoenho@via.at