Summary

We report the case of a 6-year-old boy with seasonal allergic rhinitis who presented with anaphylaxis approximately 1 hour after ingesting food containing sunflower seeds, followed by exercise. Acute serum tryptase was elevated (16.3 vs 5.4 ng/mL). Skin prick testing revealed polysensitization to inhalant allergens and positive prick-by-prick testing with sunflower seeds. The clinical presentation was consistent with probable exercise-facilitated sunflower seed-induced anaphylaxis. As sunflower seeds are increasingly incorporated into processed foods, sunflower seed allergy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained anaphylaxis.

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Authors

Daria Calanchini - Pediatric Residency Program, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Ginevra de Cicco - Pediatric Residency Program, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

Paolo Bottau - Pediatric and Neonatal Unit, Santa Maria della Scaletta Hospital, Imola (Bologna), Italy

Aleksandra Zomerfeld - Pediatric and Neonatal Unit, Santa Maria della Scaletta Hospital, Imola (Bologna), Italy

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Copyright (c) 2026 Italian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

How to Cite
Calanchini, D., de Cicco, G., Bottau, P., & Zomerfeld, A. (2026). Sunflower Seed-Induced Anaphylaxis in a Child: A Case Report. Italian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 67(2). https://doi.org/10.53151/2531-3916/2026-2508
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