Allergy to White Kidney Beans With Cross-reactivity to Red Kidney Beans: Report of 2 Cases in Children

Legumes are dicotyledonous plants belonging to the Fabales order. These include white and red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), which are members of the Fabaceae family. Legumes are a rich source of proteins, fiber, and minerals and are consumed worldwide, although they have also been reported to be potential triggers of IgE-mediated reactions, and while clinical manifestations of legume allergy vary from local symptoms to systemic reactions, the latter are rarely reported. Rouge et al and Zacharisen and Kurup reported 2 cases of anaphylaxis to kidney beans. In Spain, allergy to legumes is the fifth most common cause of food allergy in children, and beans are the third most consumed species of legumes after chickpeas and lentils. Clinical allergy to several legumes is very common, especially in children, owing to their high degree of cross-reactivity. Ibañez et al showed white kidney beans to be well tolerated by children allergic to other legumes, although the exact reason has not yet been elucidated. Only a few cases of kidney bean allergy have been reported, and the information available concerning the specific allergens involved and their molecular characteristics is scarce. We present 2 clinical cases of children with IgE-mediated allergy to kidney beans and tolerance to other legumes.