A Parent’s Guide to Shrimp Allergy Ready, Set, Food!

By: Jessica Huhn, August 05, 2020

Learn what shrimp allergy is, how shrimp allergy is connected with other allergies to shellfish, what shrimp allergy symptoms look like, and how shrimp allergy is much more common in adults than babies and young children.

Shrimp allergy is a common food allergy, but it’s much more common in adults than in babies and young children. Furthermore, shrimp allergy only affects ~1% of children compared to the most common childhood food allergies (peanut, egg and milk allergies) which affect ~7% of children.

Around 60% of people with allergies to shellfish (the allergy group that includes shrimp allergy) have their first allergic reaction as adults. This means shrimp allergies tend to develop later in life. 

Here’s what parents need to know about shrimp allergy, and other shellfish allergies.

What Is Shrimp Allergy?

Normally, our immune systems defend and protect us from harmful invaders like certain viruses and bacteria. But when someone has a shrimp allergy, their immune system mistakenly treats the protein in shrimp as a harmful invader.

Their immune system makes special allergy antibodies called IgE antibodies to shrimp proteins to help fight them off. These antibodies trigger symptoms of an allergic reaction whenever the person consumes shrimp.

Most shrimp allergies involve a protein called tropomyosin. According to one report, over 60 % of people with shellfish allergies react to tropomyosin. 

Learn more about shellfish allergy from Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE):

Shrimp Allergy: A Type Of Shellfish Allergy 

Shrimp allergy is a type of shellfish allergy. When grouped together, shellfish allergies are one of the top 8 most common food allergies. 

Allergies to shellfish include allergies to:

Crustaceans

• Shrimp
• Crab
• Lobster
• Crayfish
• Prawns 

Mollusks

• Clams
• Mussels
• Scallops
• Oysters
• Squid

The crustacean group of shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, crayfish, prawns) tends to cause the most reactions and the most severe reactions.

Shellfish allergies tend to be connected. 

• This means that someone with a shrimp allergy could also have an allergic reaction to another shellfish, like crab or lobster.
• So, if someone is allergic to shrimp, their allergist will probably tell them to avoid other kinds of shellfish. 

Some people with shellfish allergies are allergic to both groups of shellfish. But others are only allergic to one group.

• So, someone with a shrimp allergy might also react to crab, but not to clams.
• Food allergy testing (skin prick testing or an oral food challenge) can help someone find out the specific shellfish allergies they have.

Shellfish allergy and finned fish allergy aren’t related. 

• So, someone with a shrimp allergy likely won’t have to avoid finned fish, like cod and salmon.

People with shellfish allergies should avoid eating at seafood restaurants, because there’s a high risk that other foods come in contact with shellfish. This is known as cross-contamination.

• And since even the steam from cooking shellfish can trigger a shellfish allergy, people with these allergies should also avoid any space where shellfish is being cooked. 

Shrimp Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms of a shrimp allergy usually develop seconds to minutes after eating shrimp, and almost always within 2 hours.

Symptoms of a shrimp allergy can include:

• Hives (red raised bumps)
• Itching
• Skin redness
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Vomiting
• Swelling of the lips, face, eyes, throat, or tongue
• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Wheezing
• Trouble breathing
• Trouble swallowing
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Dizziness
• Fainting

When the symptoms of a shrimp allergic reaction are severe, and involve more than one organ system, the reaction is classified as anaphylaxis. And anaphylaxis can be life-threatening. 

Shrimp Allergy: More Common in Adults

Even though shellfish allergies tend to be lifelong, shrimp allergy is mostly an adult allergy. Shrimp allergies (and other shellfish allergies) are much more common in adults than in babies and young children. Around 60% of people with allergies to shellfish have their first allergic reaction as adults. Also, only around ~1-1.5% of children have a shellfish allergy.

And according to one study reported by the AAAAI, a severe reaction from shrimp allergies is much rarer in children than in adults. The study reported that “anaphylaxis caused by shrimp allergy in adults is 44 percent,” but “in children is only 7.8 percent.” Children with shrimp allergies usually have mild to moderate allergic reactions, not severe ones.

So, shrimp allergies usually develop later in life, and reactions tend to be more severe in adulthood.

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All health-related content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your own pediatrician in connection with any questions regarding your baby’s health.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If your infant has severe eczema, check with your infant’s healthcare provider before feeding foods containing ground peanuts.

Food Allergy

Is this your child’s symptom?

• Allergic reactions to foods
• The most common symptom is hives
• Questions about food allergies
• Oral Allergy Syndrome is also covered. The main symptom is mouth itching and swelling. The main triggers are raw fruits and veggies.

Symptoms of Food Allergies

• Hives all over and swelling of the face are the most common symptoms. Hives are raised pink bumps with pale centers (welts). They look like bug bites.
• Mouth itching and swelling
• Runny nose and coughing
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Life-threatening allergic reactions also must have trouble breathing and/or swallowing. The medical name for this is anaphylaxis. Most of these reactions have a sudden onset within 10 to 20 minutes. All occur within 2 hours of eating a certain food. People who have had this carry an emergency kit like an Epi-Pen.

Causes of Food Allergies

• 8 foods cause 90% of food allergies
• In the first year of life: cow’s milk, soy milk and egg
• Older children: peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish and wheat
• Shellfish include shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, oysters and scallops
• Tree nuts include all the nuts (such as almonds and cashews) except peanuts.
• Of children with a proven food allergy, 40% have severe reactions. The other 60% have mild reactions.
• Peanuts and tree nuts are the most common triggers for severe reactions.

Cross Reactions with Other Foods

Children with allergies listed below can react to other foods:

• Cow’s milk allergy: 90% also react with goat’s milk and 40% with soy milk
• Egg: 5% react with chicken
• Peanut: 5% react with other legumes (like peas or beans). About 30% also react to tree nuts.
• Tree nut: 40% react with other tree nuts
• Fish: 50% react with other fish. Only 10% also react to shellfish.
• Shellfish: 70% react with other shellfish
• Melon: 90% react with banana and avocado

How Long do Food Allergies Last?

• Cow’s milk: 80% outgrown by age 16
• Soy milk: 80% by age 16
• Egg: 70% by age 16
• Peanut: 20% by age 16
• Tree nut: 10% by age 16

Allergic Disease – Can You Prevent with Diet?

• Most allergic diseases (food allergies, eczema and asthma) cannot be prevented.
• Helpful: Feeding only breastmilk for 6 months or longer
• Not helpful: Avoiding high-risk foods for pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Not helpful: Soy formulas instead of cow’s milk formula
• Not helpful: A delay in starting baby foods past 6 months
• Not helpful: A delay in starting high-risk foods like peanut butter or eggs
• Source: AAP

Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS)

• A minor reaction to some raw fruits and veggies
• Causes itching and swelling only to the lips and tongue
• Also called Pollen-Food Syndrome

Symptoms of OAS

• Rapid onset of itching (or tingling) and swelling of the mouth.
• This can involve the lips, tongue, throat, and roof of the mouth.
• The uvula (tag of tissue hanging down in back) can become very swollen.
• These symptoms follow eating a high-risk raw fruit or veggie.
• OAS can start by age 5.
• Serious symptoms or very bad reactions rarely happen.

Causes of OAS

• A contact allergy. It only involves the parts of the mouth that touch the raw food.
• Trigger foods for OAS are always raw (not cooked.)
• Fresh Fruits. These include apple, apricot, banana, cherry, melons, orange, peach and pear.
• Raw Veggies. These include carrot, celery, parsley, potato and tomato. Carrots and celery have the highest risk for also causing serious symptoms.
• Certain Seeds. These include sunflower seeds and fennel seeds.

OAS and Nose Allergies Can Be Linked

• Over 50% of people who are allergic to pollen also have OAS. This means 10% of all people.
• Ragweed pollen allergy can cross-react with all melons. Also, sometimes with bananas and tomatoes.
• Birch pollen allergy can cross-react with raw potatoes, carrots, celery and apples.
• Grass pollen allergy can cross-react with tomato and kiwi.

When to Call for Food Allergy

Call 911 Now

• Life-threatening allergic reaction to similar food in the past. Food eaten less than 2 hours ago.
• Trouble breathing or wheezing
• Hoarse voice or cough start all of a sudden
• Trouble swallowing, drooling or slurred speech start all of a sudden
• You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Hives all over start 2 to 4 hours after eating high-risk food. High-risk foods include nuts, fish, shellfish, or eggs.
• Major face swelling (not just lips) starts 2 to 4 hours after eating high-risk food
• Vomiting or stomach cramps starts 2 to 4 hours after eating high-risk food
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Other symptoms that might be from a food allergy and present now
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Recurrent symptoms that might be from a food allergy but not present now
• Oral Allergy Syndrome suspected but never confirmed by a doctor
• Food allergy diagnosed and you want to restart that food
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Food allergy: mild reaction
• Oral allergy syndrome

Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

Care Advice

Treatment of a Food Allergy

1. What You Should Know About Food Allergies:
   • About 5% of children have food allergies.
   • Most children with a new food reaction need to be seen.
   • If your child is stable, hives often can be treated at home.
   • Hives as the only symptom can have many causes.
   • Your child can be seen later to decide future risks and best treatment.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Benadryl:
   • Give Benadryl 4 times per day for hives all over. No prescription is needed.
   • If you only have another allergy med at home (but not Benadryl), use that. Follow the package directions.
   • Use the Benadryl 4 times per day until the hives are gone for 12 hours.
   • Caution: Do not use if age is under 1 year. Reason: Benadryl makes most children sleepy. Give your doctor a call for advice.
3. Cool Bath for Itching:
   • To help with any itching, can also give a cool bath. Do this for 10 minutes.
   • Caution: Do not cause a chill.
4. How to Prevent Future Reactions:
   • Help your child avoid the food that caused the symptoms.
   • Read labels on all food products fully.
   • Tell other people who care for your child of your child’s food allergy. Also, inform the staff at your child’s school.
   • Learn more at Food Allergy Research and Education.
5. What to Expect:
   • Hives from foods often last just a short time.
   • They often are gone in less than 6 hours.
6. Return to School:
   • Hives cannot be spread to others.
   • Your child can go back to school once feeling better. The hives shouldn’t keep him from doing normal things.
7. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Trouble breathing occurs
   • Trouble swallowing or drooling occurs
   • Severe hives not better after 2 doses of Benadryl
   • Hives last over 24 hours
   • You think your child needs to be seen
   • Your child becomes worse

Treatment of Oral Allergy Syndrome Symptoms

1. What You Should Know:
   • Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) is very common. It happens in 10% of people. Most of them also have pollen allergies.
   • The symptoms are not harmful and can be treated at home.
   • Needed for OAS: Your child has never had any serious symptoms with this food.
   • OAS symptoms don’t last very long.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Rinse the Mouth:
   • Rinse the lips and mouth with warm water. Do this a few times.
   • Reason: To remove any traces of the food.
3. Cold Pack:
   • Use ice or a cold pack to the swollen lips or tongue for 10 minutes.
   • Reason: To lessen the swelling and the itch.
4. Benadryl:
   • One dose of Benadryl may help the symptoms go away faster.
   • No prescription is needed.
   • If you only have another allergy med at home (but not Benadryl), use that. Follow the package directions.
5. How to Prevent Future OAS:
   • Keep a list of the foods that cause your child’s symptoms.
   • Avoid these foods if they are raw (fresh).
   • The cooked version of these foods usually won’t cause any symptoms.
6. What to Expect:
   • With or without treatment, the itching will go away in 1 to 2 hours.
   • The mouth swelling will also go away quickly.
7. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Trouble swallowing or drooling occurs
   • Trouble breathing occurs
   • Swelling or rash occurs anywhere else
   • You think your child needs to be seen
   • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the ‘Call Your Doctor’ symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 05/30/2021

Last Revised: 03/11/2021

Copyright 2000-2021. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

Shellfish Allergies Symptoms and Treatment—Jax Allergy

Shellfish allergy is one of the big eight common food allergies. Although shellfish allergies are not as prevalent in the US as peanut allergies, they can be one of the worst allergies and sends more people to emergency rooms than any other food allergy.

As with other food allergies, an allergic reaction to shellfish can range in severity. Reactions can be mild to life-threatening leading to anaphylaxis—it’s advised that individuals with shellfish allergies always carry epinephrine auto-injectors.

It should be noted that shellfish allergies are not the same is an allergy to fish. If you are allergic to shellfish you do not necessarily have to avoid fish and fish allergy sufferers may not be allergic to shellfish.

Typically a shellfish allergy is lifelong and approximately 60 percent of shellfish allergy sufferers did not have a reaction until they were an adult.

The most common causes of shellfish allergy are from shrimp, crab, and lobster. As stated above, finned fish are not in the same biological family as shellfish and allergy to one does not always mean an allergy to the other.

There are two kinds of shellfish sufferers must be aware of: crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, crab, etc.) and mollusks (clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops)—reactions to crustaceans tend be the most severe. People tend to tolerate mollusks much better than crustaceans.

Shellfish Allergy Symptoms and Diagnosis

When a person has a shellfish allergy, they may exhibit the following signs and symptoms within a short period of consuming shellfish:

• Vomiting and upset stomach or gastrointestinal discomfort
• Diarrhea
• Hives (urticaria) all over the body
• Itching/numbness in and around the mouth or throat
• Swelling of the tongue and lips
• Dizziness and confusion
• Tightening of the throat or feeling of being unable to breath
• Nonproductive cough
• Pale skin
• Anaphylaxis—a life-threatening reaction that can lead to shock, and death in extreme cases.

If you or your child have an anaphylactic reaction call 911 or seek emergency medical care immediately.

If you suspect you have a shellfish allergy or you’ve had any of the above symptoms after eating shellfish, make an appointment with your allergy specialist as soon as possible. At your appointment a detailed personal history will be taken. This will include foods you normally eat, symptoms you have experienced, how long these symptoms lasted and what, if anything, you did to treat your symptoms.

A shellfish allergy diagnosis can sometimes be complicated as symptoms vary widely from person to person, and it is very possible for someone to have different symptoms during each reaction. Additionally, people with shellfish allergies do not necessarily have to eat it to have a reaction. They may react when other foods come in contact with shellfish during the food preparation process. Reactions often affect multiple parts of the body—skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and the cardiovascular system.

In most cases your shellfish allergy will be diagnosed by a skin-prick test or a blood test.

The skin-prick test will be performed in the allergist office and you can expect to have results fairly quickly—often within 15 minutes. A small spot on your forearm or upper back will be pricked with a sterile tooth pick-like stylet and drop of liquid containing the allergen will be introduced at prick site. If you have a positive reaction to shellfish you will immediately develop a small raised hive where your skin was pricked.

For blood tests, a blood sample is taken and tested for the presence of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies—these antibodies are produced by your body in response to a particular allergen (in this case shellfish) and results are typically available in a week to two weeks.

Shellfish Allergy Management

The best and only definitive treatment for shellfish allergies is strict avoidance and elimination of any foods containing shellfish from your diet. Additionally, anyone with shellfish allergies must check ingredient labels on packaged and prepared foods. You should also avoid seafood restaurants, even if you order non-shellfish containing meals it may be impossible for the kitchen to not cross-contaminate your meal.

The federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires all packaged food products sold in the US that contain shellfish in its ingredients, must list the specific shellfish item on the label.

Currently, advisory labels such as “may contain” warnings are not required to be on packages, but some companies list whether a food was produced in a facility or on equipment that comes in contact with shellfish. The absence of shellfish terms does not mean the food is safe for you though. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer and avoid the food unless you are certain it is free of allergens.

Treatment for Shellfish Allergy Reactions

Since food allergies are the most common causes of anaphylaxis, patients with shellfish allergies should always carry epinephrine (adrenaline) auto-injectors with them—this is the only first-line treatment for anaphylaxis. If you are not sure whether an allergic reaction is leading to anaphylactic shock, you should use the epinephrine treatment anyway—the benefits of early use outweigh the risks of an unnecessary dose.

Additional Steps to Take for Children with Shellfish Allergies

Since dangerous reactions can occur at any time, it’s important that parents of children with shellfish allergies make sure family, friends, and caregivers are aware of the child’s allergy. These additional steps are important for children with shellfish and other food allergies:

• Involve all caregivers: relatives, babysitters, teachers, and the school nurse need to be made aware of your child’s allergy. Emphasize with them the severity of the allergic response and ensure there are emergency supplies on hand.
• Create written plans: list steps that need to be taken if a reaction occurs. Include all medications that need to be given along with dosage amounts, as well as emergency contact information of family members and family physicians and allergists.
• Do not allow your child to share foods: children often share their snacks and treats, ensure your child understands the dangers of sharing foods since they may contain allergens.
• Purchase a medical alert bracelet: to help adults and caregivers understand your child’s allergies and proper treatments in the case of emergency. This is critical if they are unable to communicate while in the midst of a reaction. The bracelet should include child’s name and specific allergy.

Allergy Sufferers Should Also Avoid Foods Containing These Ingredients:

• Barnacle
• Crab
• Crawfish (also known as crawdad, crayfish)
• Krill and krill oil
• Lobster
• Prawns
• Shrimp (scampi)

Be aware that mollusks are not considered major allergens under FALCPA and may not be disclosed on labels. It may be recommended you avoid mollusks and the following items also:

• Abalone
• Clams
• Cockle
• Cuttlefish
• Limpet
• Mussels
• Octopus
• Oysters
• Periwinkle
• Sea cucumber
• Sea urchin
• Scallops
• Snails (on menus as escargot)
• Squid (also labeled as calamari)
• Whelk

Some Unexpected Sources of shellfish Products:

This is not an exhaustive list, but there are some common items that may contain shellfish ingredients. Care should be taken with the following items:

• Bouillabaisse
• Cuttlefish ink (used as food coloring as well as flavoring)
• Glucosamine supplements
• Fish stocks
• Other seafood flavoring
• Surimi (fake crab)

If you have a reaction after eating shellfish-containing foods, you should contact your allergy specialist to schedule a test to determine if you have a shellfish or other allergy or if there is some other issue.

Allergic to shrimp? You may grow out of it

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Shellfish allergies are among the most common type of food allergy but a U.S. study has found that sufferers may possibly build up a tolerance to shrimp and possibly lobster and clams as they grow older.

Freshly caught shrimp sit on a scale at Joshua’s Marina in Buras, Louisiana May 16, 2010. REUTERS/Hans Deryk

Shellfish allergies tend to persist into adulthood, with reactions ranging from mild symptoms, like nasal congestion and hives, to serious or even life-threatening problems such as airway constriction, but little has been known about how children and adults differ in the immune response to shrimp proteins.

But researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York have found that adults who are allergic to shrimp tend to have a less intense immune-system reaction to the shellfish compared with children.

For their study, reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, researchers looked at blood samples from 34 children and 19 adults with a history of allergic reaction to shrimp.

They found among children, blood levels of IgE antibodies against shrimp were typically four times higher compared with adults. The children’s antibodies also tended to bind to more shrimp proteins, and to bind to those proteins more strongly.

Researcher Rosalia Ayuso said the findings are the first to show that children tend to have a stronger immune-system sensitization to shrimp than adults.

The researchers noted that the study did not follow participants over time, and it’s not known at what age they first became sensitized to shrimp so it is unclear whether the adults were sensitized in childhood and then gradually had a reduction in their shrimp antibodies.

“However, the findings do suggest that allergic reactions to shrimp may wane with age,” according to Ayuso’s team. The researchers said it may be worthwhile for adults with a history of shrimp allergy to undergo objective testing, with a food challenge, to see whether they have built up a tolerance.

Food challenges — where an allergy patient consumes the suspect food under medical supervision to see if it triggers a reaction — are considered the “gold standard” for diagnosing food allergies.

There are other tests as well — the skin-prick tests and antibody blood tests — but they are not always an accurate measure of whether a food will trigger a physical reaction.

In one recent study, Ayuso’s team notes, half of participants with either a history of reactions to shrimp or positive results on skin-prick or blood testing were able to eat shrimp proteins without a problem during a food challenge.

Reporting by Reuters Health, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith

Everything To Know, Including What Foods To Avoid

Toa Heftiba/Unsplash

Shellfish is one of those love-it-or-hate-it kinds of foods: It’s either something you gravitate towards on any menu or avoid like the plague. Sort of like eggs. But for some people, steering clear of shellfish is more than a matter of taste — thanks to having a shellfish allergy, it could literally make them sick (and, in some super-serious cases, cause potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis). As it turns out, a shellfish allergy is one of the most common food allergies, affecting an estimated seven million Americans.

Like seasonal allergies, shellfish allergies are not limited to a single age group. However, they do impact adults more than babies, toddlers, and older kids. And let’s face it: Regardless of the person’s age with a shellfish allergy, it can be pretty scary. Fortunately, we can arm ourselves with the knowledge we need to take the best possible care of ourselves and our children. Knowing exactly what to look for, what to do when an allergic reaction happens, and when to do these things turns fear into action.

So, consider this a one-stop shop for all information pertaining to shellfish allergies. We picked the brains of medical professionals and allergy specialists to bring you the full 4-1-1 so that you have one less source of stress. Here’s what to know about shellfish allergies, including the classic symptoms, the foods to avoid, and a few myths that need to be dispelled.

RELATED: Soy Allergies — A Full Guide To Symptoms, Treatment, And Management

What is a shellfish allergy?

A food allergy is a medical condition in which exposure to certain foods creates an abnormal (and potentially harmful) immune response. That response, which is known as an allergic reaction, happens because the immune system launches an attack on proteins in the food the body would normally find harmless.

With a shellfish allergy specifically, the protein — or allergen — that triggers the response is marine animals in the shellfish category. This includes a reaction to crustaceans and mollusks such as:

• crab
• lobster
• oysters
• scallops
• shrimp
• squid
• and more

What are the symptoms of a shellfish allergy in a baby, toddler, child, teen, and adult?

According to Dr. Kathleen Dass, the owner and residing allergist-immunologist at Michigan Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Center, symptoms of a shellfish allergy can vary from person to person, and case to case, and are the same regardless of a person’s age. “Symptoms of a shellfish allergy can vary from mild to severe and life-threatening,” she told Scary Mommy. Per Dass, these symptoms include:

• anaphylaxis
• hives
• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• trouble breathing
• swelling of the face/mouth/tongue/throat
• trouble swallowing
• losing consciousness
• increased heart rate
• drops in blood pressure

Where age does become a factor is communication. “These symptoms can present the same whether it is a baby, toddler, child, or teen. Since babies cannot tell you they are having an allergic reaction, you can also look for your baby to become fussier and turning blue. Children can also develop a non-IgE mediated reaction called FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis), which presents with gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain, and protracted vomiting and/or diarrhea,” Dass explained.

How long does a shellfish allergy reaction take to develop?

Symptoms of a shellfish allergy typically present anywhere from immediately after eating shellfish to within two hours. However, a non-IgE mediated reaction can happen one to six hours after ingestion. Also good to know? Shellfish allergies can develop out of the blue in children who’ve eaten shellfish with no problem in the past.

What’s the difference between a shellfish allergy and a seafood allergy?

It’s possible you’ll hear people use the terms “shellfish allergy” and “seafood allergy” interchangeably. It’s important to understand there is, in fact, a distinction between the two. Nutritionist Lisa Richards — author of The Candida Diet and contributor to Today, US News, Women’s Health, and more — broke it down for Scary Mommy.

“It is a common misunderstanding that a fish allergy and a shellfish allergy are one and the same, but this is a dangerous and inaccurate assumption. While fish (like tuna or salmon) and shellfish (like shrimp or lobster) are both categorized as seafood, they differ biologically. You can be allergic to both types, but they are not the same thing. An allergic reaction to shellfish is generally more severe and includes wheezing, hives, swelling, vomiting, anaphylaxis, and more. A fish allergy can result in severe symptoms, but anaphylaxis is rare. Headaches, nausea, and runny nose are the most common side effects of a fish allergy.”

This means fish will not cause an allergic reaction in a person who has a shellfish allergy unless they also have a fish allergy. This can get muddled because fish is often prepared in the same space as shellfish. So, shellfish proteins can find their way into non-shellfish foods that were prepared alongside shellfish, leading to confusion over what caused the reaction.

How do you test for a shellfish allergy?

If you have any inkling you or your child might be allergic to shellfish, schedule an appointment with an allergist ASAP. “First, an allergist will take a history to establish a suspicion for a shellfish allergy. Then, skin-prick testing will be performed to shrimp, crab, and lobster. We may also check IgE levels to shrimp, crab, and lobster. An IgE tests for an allergy, whereas IgG tests for any previous exposure. This is why allergists will only test for the IgE in the blood,” said Dass.

If an allergist suspects the likelihood of a true allergy is low, they might recommend an oral food challenge. An oral food challenge occurs when a small amount of the allergen, in this case, shellfish, is given to the patient. The doses are incrementally increased until a specified number is reached. If a patient passes the food challenge, they are deemed as not allergic.

Of course, it goes without saying you should never attempt the food challenge without first speaking to an allergist to rule out the possibility of a serious shellfish allergy.

What is considered shellfish and what foods should a person with a seafood allergy avoid?

Once you or your child test positive for a seafood allergy, your doctor will give you all sorts of informative pamphlets and literature regarding what’s safe to consume. It goes without saying this includes shellfish. Interestingly, some people with shellfish allergies will react to crustaceans and not mollusks or vice versa — confirm with a healthcare provider whether you should stay away from all shellfish or certain types.

As a general rule of thumb, though, a person with shellfish allergies should avoid:

• abalone
• anchovies (while not shellfish, they contain a similar protein)
• barnacle
• calcium supplements made from coral
• clams
• cockle, periwinkle, and sea urchin
• crab; crawfish/crayfish, ecrevisse, krill
• cuttlefish
• limpet (lapas and opihi)
• lobster, langouste, langoustine, Moreton bay bugs, scampi, coral, tomalley
• mollusks
• mussels
• oysters
• octopus and squid/calamari
• scallops
• sea cucumber (beche-de-mer)
• shrimp, prawns, crevette
• snails
• whelks

Basically, you’ll need to become a pro at reading food labels and just being super-vigilant about where your food comes from. Any food made in a seafood restaurant could be cross-contaminated with shellfish. Some people can have an allergic reaction simply from being around cooking odors, from touching shellfish, or from being exposed to shellfish steam (the shellfish protein is released in the steam during cooking).

What other ingredients should you avoid if you have a shellfish allergy?

Be mindful to eschew certain products or foods if you see the following words or ingredients listed on a label or menu, as it may mean shellfish protein is present:

• bouillabaisse
• cuttlefish ink
• fish stock
• glucosamine
• seafood flavoring
• surimi
• paella
• some types of sushi contain
• tapenade
• Worchestershire sauce

Are there any non-food items to watch out for?

Yep, you guessed right. It isn’t just shellfish that could potentially trigger a seafood allergy. In addition to steam and cooking odors, most shellfish-allergic people are sensitive to dust mite and cockroach allergies. You can also check out the resources on the Food Allergy Research and Education website for more information on both ingestible and non-ingestible seafood-related allergens.

Are shellfish allergies genetic?

If you or your partner have a shellfish allergy, you may be wondering what the risk factors are for developing a shellfish allergic reaction. Why did you end up with one? And, more pointedly, does you having a shellfish allergy make it more likely your child will develop one? Well, yes and no. Elaborated Dass, “Shellfish allergies specifically have not yet been shown to be genetic. However, if allergies of any kind exist in your family, then you are at increased risk for food allergy.”

Do shellfish allergies ever go away?

Listen, anything is possible. Miracles do happen. You know the spiel. Having said that, allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish are generally lifelong. “It is possible to outgrow a food allergy, though there are certain foods you are more likely to outgrow — such as milk or egg,” said Dass. “Shellfish allergy is less likely to be outgrown, but this can vary by person.”

That being said, a shellfish allergy is actually less common in children, most recently reported at 0.5-percent in kids versus 2.5-percent in adults, per Dass. Still, if your child does happen to be part of that percentage, you’ll have to be proactive. There isn’t currently a cure for food allergies, so you simply have to avoid triggers and learn to recognize and treat reaction symptoms.

On the plus side, clinical trials are happening at this very moment that center on food allergy therapies. None have been approved for general use yet, but there’s certainly hope treatment options will be available in the future.

Can you suddenly become allergic to shellfish? 

In short, yes. People can develop shellfish allergies at any age, though it’s most common in adults — specifically, women, according to the Mayo Clinic. This means that some people can spend decades chowing down on bivalves with no problems whatsoever, then, as an adult, suddenly have an allergic reaction.

What are some common shellfish allergy myths (and the reality)? 

There are plenty of myths floating around about shellfish allergies, but not all are based in reality. For instance, they are not caused by iodine. And, on the flip side, you’re not allergic to iodine solely because you are allergic to shellfish. While shellfish does contain iodine, that’s not what triggers an allergy, according to Everyday Health.

Along the same lines, it’s perfectly safe for someone with a shellfish allergy to get a CT scan, including the contrast dye used prior to the procedure. The materials used in the contrast dye do not contain any of the allergens found in shellfish. While some people are, in fact, allergic to the contrast dye, it has nothing to do with shellfish.

What should you know about a shellfish allergy and COVID vaccine?

During the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, there was a lot of concern over allergic reactions to the inoculation, including questions regarding whether people with common food allergies (like to shellfish) should receive the vaccine. Now, more than six months and millions of injections later, we have a much clearer picture of a potential threat — or, more accurately, the lack thereof.

“What the science tells us is that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for most people with allergies, including those who have allergies to eggs, peanuts, shellfish, latex, penicillin, animals, and other common triggers,” says Dr. Stephen Scranton, a board-certified allergist with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. He goes on to clarify that the risk of a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccines is minuscule and currently thought to be no more frequent than about 1 in 200,000.

f24 Shrimp | Allergy & Autoimmune Disease

Worldwide distribution

Shellfish allergy is one of the most common food allergies, which may continue for a long time, usually persisting till adulthood. Among different crustacean species, shrimp is majorly responsible for allergy in adults and children. The prevalence of shellfish allergy ranges from 1.3 – 5.2%, based on the different dietary habits of various countries (9). Asians are reported to have a higher prevalence of shellfish allergy compared to the people in Western countries due to higher consumption of shellfish in this region (10). In the Philippines and Singapore shellfish allergy in teenagers was reported to be 5.12% and 5.23% respectively (11). A study conducted on children residing in Singapore showed more prevalence of shellfish allergy in native children as compared to non-native children. In the age group of 4-6years, the prevalence rate was 1.19% for native children and 0.55% for non-native children. Similarly, in the age group of 14-16 years, the prevalence rate was 5.23% for native children and 0.96% was for non-native children (12).

In another study conducted in Singapore by Thong et al. (2018) on 120 participants (of mean age 19.1± 1.5 years) with 64.2% having a food allergy, shellfish (78%) was the most commonly reported food and among different shellfish, shrimp was mostly responsible for causing oral allergy syndrome (OAS) in 30.3 % cases (13).

A study by Hao et al. (2018) reported a 12.4% prevalence of shrimp in 459 children and adults, based on a survey conducted in Hebei Province of China (14).  Li et al. (2019) conducted a multicenter epidemiological survey in 35,549 schoolchildren (between 6 to 11 years) from rural and urban areas of India, China and Russia. Results stated that, in Hong Kong, shrimp was the most common food associated with sensitization besides egg and milk. In India and rural Shaoguan (China) sensitization against shrimp was quite high, about 10.3% and 13.1% respectively (15).

A population-based cross-sectional survey by Gupta et al. (2019) included 40,443 adults from the US. The results reported a 1.9% prevalence of shrimp allergy (16). A telephonic survey of 14,948 individuals in the US reported that 2-3% of individuals claimed to have a seafood allergy, out of which 2.2 % was due to shellfish. Children (0.5%) estimated to have a lower allergy rate as compared to adults (2.5%). Shrimp was found to be the most common cause of allergy followed by crab, lobster, clam, oyster, and mussel in the same decreasing order (12). In line with this survey, another study in the USA detected adults have a higher incidence of shellfish allergy (2.8%) as compared to children (0.6%) and women had more incidence (3.6%) as compared to men (2%) (11).

A multi-center survey conducted in Europe showed IgE sensitization to shrimp was 4.8% among adults (10).

Shrimp allergy is highly prevalent in the Canarian Islands, due to the higher regional prevalence of house dust mite (HDM) allergy (17). A study evaluated parents (of Mexican school children aged 5-13 years) reported the prevalence of food allergy involving 1049 participants. Among all surveyed food in school children from Mexico, shrimp (1.3%) was found to be the major food for inducing hypersensitivity (18).

Risk factors

Individuals who are in the vicinity of cooking shellfish by boiling, steaming or frying are prone to develop allergic reactions by inhalation of vapors (12). Fishermen, processing workers, shell grinders, cooks, and even restaurant workers are at risk of developing allergic reactions to shellfish (19).

Pediatric issues

Adults are known to be more commonly affected compared with shellfish allergy compared to children (20). Moreover, in children, the anaphylaxis rate caused by shrimp was found to be lower compared to adults in a study. The precise reason for this mechanism was not clear. However, the probable reasons may be anaphylaxis rate has been artificially raised in the adult population as adults with less-severe allergic reactions would avoid causative food and won’t take medical attention. Secondly underreporting of anaphylaxis in children may occur because of risky behavior. Finally, some drugs taken by adults may lead to food-induced anaphylaxis (21).  

Could violent vomiting be a shellfish allergy?

Keith Roach
 |  To Your Health

Dear Dr. Roach: I always thought that I had a cast iron stomach; however, after a bout of suspected food poisoning about six months ago, I’ve had two incidences of violent vomiting for about a half hour. Both of the preceding two meals included shrimp, which I have eaten often in the past without a problem. The episodes were just a month apart. In trying to find an answer, I was surprised to read that shellfish allergy can develop suddenly in adults. I’m afraid to eat it again, and I’ll follow up with my doctor for an allergy test.

— M.C.W.

 Dear M.C.W.: Allergies to fish and shellfish are common, seen in about 3% in U.S. adults. The symptoms vary among different people affected. Of all the shellfish, shrimp is likeliest to cause an allergy.

       The usual allergic reaction to shrimp, called the IgE-mediated response, begins within minutes. The skin may show redness or warmth, itching or hives; people may notice tingling or swelling in the mouth or lips; and severe allergic reactions can cause dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure and confusion. It can sometimes lead to cardiac arrest. Severe allergic reactions can be extremely serious.

       Gastrointestinal symptoms can also occur as an immediate symptom, including severe vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. However, stomach symptoms may also occur as a delayed type of allergic reaction. People often consider this to be “food poisoning” and may not recognize it as a possible allergy. These symptoms begin a few hours after eating, and include protracted vomiting or diarrhea.

       Finally, it’s possible that you have had bad luck and have had several episodes of diarrheic shellfish poisoning from contaminated shellfish.

       An allergist is the ideal consultant to help sort out whether this really is an allergy. Both blood tests and skin tests may be helpful. I agree with you avoiding shellfish until you get evaluated.

       Incidentally, the ability to vomit and have diarrhea is a remarkable strength of the stomach and rest of the digestive system: You want to be able to get rid quickly of contaminated food.

Dear Dr. Roach: My 53-year-old son carries the cystic fibrosis gene. Will his sons and his nephews carry the gene?

— C.S.

Dear C.S.: Cystic fibrosis is caused by genetic abnormalities in the CFTR gene on chromosome 7. There are many different mutations that can cause varying degree of severity, and some abnormal genes do not cause disease at all. However, the classic cause is a mutation called F508del, and when people have two copies of this gene, they will have the usual form of cystic fibrosis. 

       People with only one copy of an abnormal gene are carriers — both copies need to be abnormal to have clinically apparent cystic fibrosis. I’m going to assume your son has one copy of the F508del and one normal gene. A full genetic analysis would be needed to prove that.

       According to classical genetics, half of your son’s offspring, both sons and daughters, will carry the abnormal gene and the other half will carry the normal gene. If one of his children has a child with another carrier, that child will have a 1 in 4 chance of having cystic fibrosis, a 1 in 4 chance of having two normal copies of the gene, and a 1 in 2 chance of being a carrier. 

       His nephews have a chance of having the gene ONLY if your son’s siblings are also a carrier for CF or has CF themselves. Any siblings should consider consultation with a genetic counselor. 

            Readers may email questions to [email protected].

Russian translations, synonyms, antonyms, pronunciation, example sentences, transcription, meaning, collocations

Reserved New Zealand ~ Golden Holidays

Reserved New Zealand is a tour with professional Russian-speaking guides, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience and complete safety.

Day 1: Auckland
Arrival in Auckland, “the city of sails”, the main metropolis of the country. Transfer to the city by shuttle with an English-speaking driver (about 40 minutes) and hotel accommodation (after 14:00). Free time.
In the evening, meet your guide and visit the famous Auckland Sky Tower. It is one of the symbols of the city, a huge entertainment complex with many restaurants and entertainment. And one of the best restaurants is Orbita. Why not dine on this giant rotating platform? Admire the endless shimmering city and gigantic bay.Excellent food and fantastic views.

Day 2: Auckland – Rotorua
Depart south after breakfast. We enter a very scenic area of ​​the Pacific Coast. It is famous for its seaside resorts for surfers, endless orchards, and the measured life of its compact villages. Our first stop at one of them. You have a tremendous opportunity to see the largest gold mine in the country.
When neat emerald fields and hedgerows gleam in the window, we are approaching Tauranga.Here we will go on a fascinating excursion to the gardens where kiwi fruits are grown. We will have the opportunity to see fruit vines, as well as taste liquors and wines made from kiwi. After all, this is one of the symbols of the country.

From here, it’s just a stone’s throw from Rotorua, the center of Maori culture for which New Zealand is so famous. Upon arrival, we will go on a sightseeing tour of the city. Luxurious Governor’s Gardens, an unusual Maori church decorated with stunning wood carvings, amazing views of the sacred island of Mokoia, a smoking lake – all this and more on your sightseeing tour.

In the evening we invite you to the Maori village. The red carpet and Maori hangi dinner cooked on hot stones is an amazing exotic. Local Maori will meet you at the entrance to the village, sing traditional songs, sometimes fiery, sometimes sad. And if you want, they will teach you the art of weaving fancy flowers or decorations from New Zealand linen, or dancing with the traditional “sing”, tell you the history of their people, bewitch you with melodious stories of ancient legends.An amazing and unique evening awaits you.

Day 3: Rotorua
This morning the fantastic begins – a sea cruise to the volcano island (optional excursion). We race across the Pacific Ocean, cutting through blue waves. If we are lucky, we will compete in speed with dolphins on the way. A great opportunity to take pictures of cormorants and other seabirds.
Having passed to the boat, we will disembark on the coast, which is more reminiscent of Mars. Before us will appear the unreal colors of orange-red-brown-yellow volcanic rocks and sulfur, bubbling small craters from which steam falls.The feeling of a special expedition to another planet is complemented by the issued helmet and oxygen mask. After all, we will come so close to the crater that it will become hard to breathe without a mask. You will learn many legends and modern stories from the life of the volcano island. We will stop for photographs not only at the throats of the volcano thundering with volcanic gas, but also from a height we will glimpse its crater.

On the way back we will have light snacks on the boat. At the end of the excursion, return to Rotorua.

Day 4: Rotorua – Taupe – Taihape
In addition, in the morning you can visit the Maori village.This is an amazing geothermal park and a real non-tourist village, whose inhabitants use the energy of the earth: they heat their houses, swim, arrange a spa, cook delicious steamed dishes. A traditional Maori concert awaits you after this quirky stroll through the village. You will be mesmerized by the stunning Maori songs and the famous ancient dance of the haka warriors.
Taboo Water is New Zealand’s most famous geothermal park. Here you will see the famous Champagne Lake, as well as seething mud, craters and smoking ground.The water and soil around are painted in unusually bright colors: lemon-yellow, brown-green and rusty-orange – the entire periodic table is collected here. You have time to get around this completely wild valley of steaming sulfur springs and seething geysers. Walk along a picturesque lake called the “Artist’s Palette” for the full range of colors of its water.

Next we head south to the volcanic plateau. Our program includes a visit to the famous 11-meter waterfalls of Hook. They will amaze you with their whiteness and the strength of their flow.Indeed, the name translates as “Snow Falls”.

Late lunch at a shrimp farm. The menu includes the freshest, freshly caught shrimps. Enjoy lunch and a glass of the famous Sauvignon Blanc wine served at the restaurant. Lunch is optional.

We will stop at Lake Taupo, which the Maori call the sea – it is so huge. In fact, the lake is a crater of an extinct super-volcano, the ash from the eruption of which is still found in Europe. It’s incredible – you can swim in the clear waters of an ancient crater or sunbathe on the beach.

After lunch and rest, we will continue our journey along the volcanic plateau. This is a huge territory, overgrown with rare grass, covered with solidified lava, and volcanoes rise in the middle of it. You have already seen two of them in the films. This is Mount Doom from The Lord of the Rings and Lonely Mountain from The Hobbit.

By the evening we will find ourselves in the kingdom of canyons, vast spaces, green hills of giant sheep farms. A forest chalet, completely cut off from civilization, awaits us. The river here seethes with rapids, squeezed by giant boulders.On this night you will fall asleep under the mystical whisper of water.

Day 5: Taihape – Wellington
From the very morning you have the additional opportunity to experience the fast running of the rapids and compete with the river on a raft. Experienced guides will turn your adventure into an incredibly fun memory.
Or, in addition, we suggest you saddle a calm horse and from the saddle explore the endless hills of the farm and the distant blue mountains. This adventure is suitable even for beginners.

Then we will refresh ourselves with lunch and set off to conquer the capital of museums, fashion and politics.

A couple of stops along the way to buy fresh fruit and some delicious local ice cream, and we’re on the west coast. Not far away is the island of Kapiti, in the past the citadel of Napoleon in the Southern Hemisphere, one of the most powerful Maori leaders.

If time allows, we will go to see the unique Maori church, built of precious woods and decorated with traditional ornaments and carvings.

Arrival in the capital. The picturesque Wellington Bay will greet you with the evening flicker of its skyscrapers and avenues, which we will see from the highest point of the city – Mount Victoria.

Day 6: Wellington – Picton
Wellington is called “the funniest and smallest capital” in the world. The city is proud of its peculiarity and there are many interesting things to see.
Our program includes the famous Te Papa Museum, a museum about New Zealand. Here you will find yourself in the world of interactive technologies and antique exhibits. You will walk on a huge map of the country, see yourself on the TV screen, visit the “house of earthquakes”, hear ancient Maori spells, and be transported into the past.

From the museum you will walk along the beloved Wellington waterfront and marvel at the country’s Parliament. This is the famous Beehive (“hive”), a building that actually resembles a bee hive and adjacent to the taverns of the first settlers.

In the evening we will take a ferry and sail across the Cook Strait, latitudes forties of the Southern Hemisphere. Our crossing is a real cruise, because our goal is the Marlborough fjords. And this is turquoise water, wild shores and beaches, many dolphins, flocks of seabirds. We will spend the night in Picton, a small seaside town with a mild and warm climate.

Day 7: Picton – Kaikoru – Hanmer Springs
Moving to Kaikoru is a feast in itself for any wildlife and ocean photographer.
Kaikora is a very small village. But it is known for the abundance of marine life off its coast. In the oceanic trench near the town, whales breed, seabirds nest on rocky cliffs, the coastal strip is one huge colony of fur seals.

Optional – sailing with fur seals in the Pacific Ocean.This is real fantasy. We sail by boat to the colony of seals off the rocky islands, and soon you are jumping into the sea. These wild animals swim up to you at arm’s length.

Hot shower and lunch after swimming. Now why not fly in a small plane over the giants of the oceanic trenches – whales? In addition, this is a great opportunity to look at the Southern Alps from above.

A short drive to an alpine village – an unforgettable journey with its views.The Pacific coast will turn into picturesque rolling hills. And then the Southern Alps will grow very close. Upon arrival, you have the opportunity to relax in the healing hot springs and spa complex of this resort.

Day 8: Hanmer Springs – Greymouth
Travel to the West Coast of New Zealand today. Here you can see everything that makes New Zealand a country-reserve: forest waterfalls, thickets of ferns, cliffs covered with gray moss, glacial and reserved lakes, a variety of fauna and all shades of green that you can imagine.
The first miracle on our way is the Punakayki pancake cliffs. They are famous for being the oldest limestone formations that began to form 30 million years ago. Under the influence of the movement of tectonic plates, the rocks were “pushed” out of the sea, and the water changed their shape so that these giants became similar to those made of stone pancakes. Here you can also see such a rare phenomenon as sea geysers – when the surf with a huge force bursts out to a great height.

Arrival at Greymouth.Weather permitting – from here you can clearly see the highest mountain in New Zealand – the snow-capped Cook Peak. The calm pace of life, local bars gathering people to cheer for their rugby team as usual on TV, the port nearby and the deserted pebble beaches of the fierce Tasmanian Sea. The arrival of the famous Transalpine Express from Christchurch once a day is a small event. On the dial of the station clock of the city – the inscription “Time of the West Coast”. And this time is measured and unhurried.

Day 9: Greymouth – Glaciers – Haast
Today we continue our journey along the West Coast of New Zealand, going deeper and deeper into the kingdom of the national park.Maori came here in search of New Zealand jade, sacred to them “pounamu”, which is so rich in the coast. Until now, you can see gigantic blocks of this green stone in the waters of the turbulent rivers of the coast. This jade is used to make traditional jewelry, amulets and rings, set in Pacific silver. We will visit the largest green stone processing center.
Today we welcome you to the lands of glaciers. There are more than 3000 of them in New Zealand, and today we will see one of them.

Weather and time permitting, we will drive through the thickets of silver beech to the protected Lake Matheson.Here you can see the miracle of the reflection of the Southern Alps and the highest mountain of Cook in its still waters. Surrounded by an evergreen pristine forest, this lake is a mirror of the beauty that surrounds it.

Additionally, for those who want to climb to the tops of the glacier and land on the ice, we suggest taking part in helihiking. By helicopter you will climb to the very edge of the blue ice. Having landed on the snow, you can take unique pictures and admire the majestic glacier from its top: one side of the peaks of the Alps, the other – a plume of ice going into a green valley.Put on your crampons, grab an alpenstock and follow your guide to explore the ice caves and hike the glacier.

Short drive to Haast.

Day 10: Haast – Queenstown
Today we will follow the trail, which passes through completely uninhabited and wilderness, through untouched New Zealand forest, stretching for many kilometers since prehistoric times. The snow-capped Southern Alps rise above the forest. Until the 60s of the twentieth century, there was no road connection, so this area is still protected and wild.
If you wish, we can go to the heart of the national park and admire the unspoiled nature of New Zealand. A sightseeing flight over the Southern Alps will give us the opportunity to see distant glaciers, protected untouched valleys, high mountains overgrown with silver beech and transparent mountain rivers. And then we will enter the forest trail and go to the New Zealand fairy forest. The path lies through thickets of silver and black beech, through suspension bridges over turbulent mountain rivers to the destination of your trek – “Blue Backwaters of Haast”.The amazing bright blue color of this glacial river cannot fail to amaze even experienced travelers. You will reach the pier where the boat will be waiting for you. Riding “with the breeze” on boats on the shallow mountain rivers of the country is a favorite pastime of New Zealanders. 360-degree turns, sea of ​​splashes and wild speed.

Wonaka is a small resort town on the shores of the lake of the same name with crystal clear water, breathtaking mountain landscapes and clean air.

Today is the time to explore the most elegant city of the South Island, Queenstown. The city delights with its “space landscapes”, surrounding it with a high ridge of mountains, and the purest transparent lake.

In the evening we will go to a high-mountain sheep farm located on the other side of the lake. A steamer of the same age as the Titanic arrived here a century ago and is still doing its job perfectly. You can go down to the hold and watch the work of the steam engine and the stokers busily tossing coal into the stove.

On the farm, enjoy New Zealand delicacies at a lakeside restaurant. Of course, the menu includes the famous New Zealand lamb and delicious desserts. After dinner, we invite you to watch a sheep show at the farm. See how a specially bred New Zealand dog breed copes with a flock of sheep. The farm will also show sheep shearing in New Zealand.

Relax on the elegant deck as you head back into town, or join in singing old Scottish songs in the steamer’s wardroom.

Day 11: Queenstown
Today you can either relax and walk in the city, or choose one of the optional excursions:
Safari through the unique Skippers Canyon. More than a hundred years ago, gold was mined here and, with great difficulty, a road to the gold mines was built. Now here they admire the nature of the province of Otago, and far below, motor boats rush along the mountain river for speed and entertainment. The most gold-bearing river in New Zealand flows in the valley of the canyon. On this jeep trip, you will find amazing mountain landscapes of the canyon.

Speedboat ride on New Zealand’s most gold-bearing river. None of the entertainment you’ve tried so far will prepare you for the adrenaline rush you’ll get from riding this jet boat. What to compare with? Something remotely similar to a roller coaster, but only on water, among fantastic mountains and gorges, at speeds up to 85 kilometers per hour. Just a wild river, a jet boat and you!

What a visit to New Zealand without seeing the symbol of the country – the kiwi bird! Therefore, we will head to a small nature park located in the center of the city.In addition to the kiwi, there we will see other representatives of the country’s fauna and the only surviving smallest dinosaur, the tuataru.

Day 12: Queenstown – Te Anu
In the morning, an excursion to the old town of gold miners. The ancient cottages of the region’s pioneers are located by the gold-bearing river. You will be enchanted by cozy streets, small shops and cafes.
If we have time, we will visit one of the wineries in the region. Central Otago is very famous for its Pinot Noir wines.For the first time this region received a gold medal for its famous “Burgundy” already in the 19th century in Sydney. Stunning views of the mountain valley from the vineyard add flavor to your glass.

Moving to Te Anu. Te Anu is the name given to this small town for a reason. Translated from Maori it means “cave river”. Indeed, Te Anu has amazing caves.

It is here that you can, if you wish, go by boat, admiring the beauty of the lake along the way.These caves are famous for the fact that the fireflies living under their arches create the effect of a starry sky. The mystical silence of the caves is broken only by falling drops of water, while you silently glide on a boat along the water surface of an underground river. The caves of Lake Te Anu are more than one thousand years old, so this touch of antiquity is already an amazing experience.

Day 13: Te Anu – Milford – Queenstown
Today we will go to the “Land of the Fjords”. The mountains here are so high that the sun hardly has time to reach the deep hollows, and freshness is poured in the gorges and small valleys.For many kilometers there is no human habitation, and a huge evergreen forest-reserve reigns. Lakes fall into the valleys with waterfalls, become rivers and run through the valleys among the mountains, in order to again flow into the reserved lake.
The road passes through a virgin forest untouched since prehistoric times, through mountain passes, past mirror-like lakes and white waterfalls.

In the afternoon we will take a trip through the most picturesque fjord in this land, which Kipling called “the eighth wonder of the world.” Milford is always striking in its stillness and silence.Whether the sun is shining or the mountains are enveloped in fog and clouds – in front of you is a miracle that rises directly from the deep waters of the fjord.

Drive back to Queenstown along the most beautiful road in New Zealand.

Day 14: Queenstown
In the morning we will take a trip to the valley called “Paradise”. It is a protected valley surrounded by the Southern Alps. An elite small village is located here. It was in this valley that all three parts of the famous film “The Lord of the Rings” were filmed. Fantastic mountain landscapes are interspersed with ancient forests and transparent rivers.On the way, we will make many stops to take pictures at Lake Wakatipu.
We will finish our journey by climbing the mountain by cable car. From here, a delightful panoramic view of the city and the mountain range opens up. It’s time to say goodbye to the band and this hospitable country.

Transfer to the airport and departure.

Tour Information:

We offer only tour operator prices without taxes and fees.We will give you the lowest price compared to other sources.
It is easy to verify this: send a request or call.

The stench here actually paralyzed the sense of smell.

One thing was certain: the local stench did paralyze the sense of smell. Matt no longer noticed the foul stench. The food seemed better too. Of course, it did not become tasty, but it did not cause the former disgust either. Day after day, he walked with Chacho and Fidelito along the long line of shrimp vats and caught insects.Every evening they trudged back to get plankton burgers, plankton pasta, or plankton burritos for dinner. Carlos’ ideas about the culinary benefits of plankton seemed endless.

When the shrimp stopped growing, Ton-Ton would take a huge, slow shrimp harvester out of the hangar. Waddling like a gouty dinosaur, the unit poured the contents of the vats into its bottomless belly. Matt then refilled the vats with fresh water from a pipe running from the Gulf of California.

When they reached the western end of the shrimp farm, the guys could look over the fence and look at a small body of water that was once an endless bay. The water in it was dark blue, and seagulls circled above it in clouds. Chacho climbed to the edge of the vat to get a better look.

The bottom of the fence could be touched, but the top wire hummed with electricity. Fidelito thrust his hands through the wire grate, as if he wanted to touch the inviting blue. Matt looked for weak spots in the fence.The thought of running away did not leave him for a minute.

– What is this? – asked Chacho and pointed to the north. Matt shielded his eyes from the sun. There, among the unevenness of the ground, something white was clearly visible.

“It doesn’t look like trees,” Chacho said. “Shall we drive to see?

The sun was already leaning towards the west, but the temptation to see something new was too great.

“Far away … Wait for us here,” ordered Matt Fidelito.

He understood that the kid did not have enough strength for a long walk.

– You can’t leave me. We are compadres! Fidelito protested.

– You will guard our things, – said Chacho. – If anyone wants to steal them, kick him where I showed you.

Fidelito grinned and saluted like a little commando.

Matt and Chacho hit the road. The surrounding countryside was even more bleak than the desert around the salt mines. There, after the rains, half-choked weeds burst out of the ground in some places – here there was nothing but whitish salt marshes.The land was littered with shells – reminders of those days bygone, when a sea full of life splashed here from horizon to horizon.

“Maybe it’s just a big salt marsh,” Chacho suggested.

Coming closer, Matt saw strange silhouettes above the ground. Some of them resembled the blades of oars, others were thin and fancifully curved. He had never seen anything like it. The guys climbed a small hill and stopped rooted to the spot. A deep depression stretched out in front of them.It was full of bones from edge to edge.

Chacho and Matt stood in silence for several minutes. Then Chacho muttered:

– How many cows have been put here!

“These are not cows,” Matt said.

The skulls were enormous, their jaws extended like monstrous bird beaks. Each rib was longer than a whole cow. Interspersed with them were bones, wide as shovels, and so huge that they could make a table or even a bed. There were so many skeletons mixed up here that Matt didn’t even count them.Hundreds, probably. Thousands …

– Is this a human skull? Chacho asked. Matt peered into the weave of shadows halfway down and realized what Chacho was pointing at.

– Just think, – said Chacho. – If you fall there, you will never get out again.

Matt flinched. He was about to examine the hole, climbing from bone to bone, as if along the branches of a large tree, but now he realized that the whole structure was in delicate balance. Step into the wrong place, and the pile of bones will collapse like a house of cards.He gritted his teeth, realizing that he had narrowly escaped death.

– Let’s go back, – suggested Chacho. – It wasn’t enough for Fidelito to run around here.

While waiting for his friends, Fidelito amused himself by dangling his bare feet, sitting on the edge of a shrimp vat. He put the net on his head to shelter from the sun.

– What is it? – he asked.

Matt described the bones in detail, and to his surprise, the little one immediately realized who they belonged to.

“These are whales,” Fidelito said.“I saw a whole bunch of whales when I lived in the Yucatan. Sometimes they come ashore and cannot come back. Mi Abuelita said it was because they used to walk on the ground, and then they forgot that they no longer had legs. Fuchi! Ugh! They smelled like Jorge’s boots! The villagers had to bury them in the sand.

All the way back to the factory, Fidelito chirped merrily about rotting whales. Any memories of his grandmother gave him cheerfulness.

“What force lured these whales to their death?” Mused Matt, dragging his feet with difficulty past the line of shrimp vats.

Maybe when the Gulf of California dried up, this depression was still full of water. Maybe the whales decided to wait here until the rains come and the bay fills up again. But only it did not fill up, and the whales lost their legs long ago and could not go home.

Every evening Jorge held an educational conversation at night, and then the guys confessed their sins. And every evening all the boys, led by Ton-Ton, threw accusations in Matt’s face, one more terrible than the other. This should have humiliated him, but, oddly enough, the longer the execution lasted, the less pain it caused.It seemed to Matt that he had wandered into a barnyard full of turkeys. Sometimes, before the holidays, El-Patron ordered several dozen of these funny birds, and Matt loved, leaning on the hedge, to watch them. Tam Lin said that turkeys are the stupidest birds in the world. If they raise their heads in the rain, they may choke.

As soon as a striped hawk appeared in the sky, the turkeys were taken to rush about the yard like mad, clashing their foreheads in panic. “Kuldy-kuldy-kuldy,” they screamed, even though they weighed five times more than a hawk and could easily trample it.And now, when the boys began to enumerate his crimes with passion, Matt heard the same thing: “Kuldy-kuldy-kuldy”.

When Matt refused to repent – and this happened quite often – Jorge’s eyes narrowed and his lips tightened into a thin thread. Chacho and Fidelito quickly learned that the easiest way to avoid big trouble is to do what the keeper wants. They confessed to the most incredible sins, and Jorge was so happy that he almost never punished them.

In the evening, after walking to the whale pit, Matt was very tired.He mumbled listlessly the Five Rules of a Good Citizen and the Four Principles of Right Thinking. I listened half-heartedly to the conversation of the keeper. It was about the fact that you need all ten fingers to play the piano. Fingers should support each other and not show individualism.

Fidelito confessed to choking on a plankton milkshake, while Chacho said he swore bad words when the alarm went off. The Guardian smiled and turned to Matt. But Matt was stubbornly silent. He knew he was being stupid — he would have confessed to some nonsense, and that’s the end of it — but he couldn’t bring himself to grovel in front of Jorge.

“I see that our aristocrat needs further education,” said the keeper and looked around the boys huddled around.

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Everyone stared at the floor, no one raised their hands anymore. Matt, still in a drowsy daze, did not notice.

– You! – suddenly barked Jorge so that the guys cringed, and pointed at Ton-Ton.

– Eh … me? – squeaked Ton-Ton, as if he could not believe his ears.

– You stole a holographic game from the guardians’ room! We found her under a pile of rags in the kitchen.

– I … um … I … um …

– It is an honorable duty to clean the guardians’ rooms! – Jorge thundered. – It can be earned by humility and good behavior, but you did not justify the trust. What should be done with a boy who rummages through the rooms and takes things that others do not have?

“Keepers have things that others do not have,” concluded Matt, but naturally did not say this out loud.

“He has to do the hardest work,” one of the boys tried to guess.

– No! – shouted Jorge.

– Maybe he should … should apologize? Someone else suggested in a trembling voice.

– Don’t you understand anything yet ?! – the keeper roared. – The worker bees have to think about the whole hive. If they collect nectar for themselves and do not bring anything home, then when the cold comes, the hive will die of hunger. This is not how the worker bees do it. Only drones do that. They steal from others. But when winter comes, what happens to the drones?

“Good bees kill them,” said the boy, who looked no older than Fidelito.

“What is this ?!” – Matt was surprised.

– Right! Good bees sting bad drones to death. But we won’t go that far, ”Jorge said.

Matt, holding his breath, sighed in relief. Murder was common in Opium. Who knows what order prevails here …

But Ton-Ton was completely broken by horror. Tears streamed down his unattractive face. Matt felt that he felt sorry for the boy and was surprised to himself. Ton-Ton was a vile sycophant and deserved any punishment.

– Get into a pose, – Jorge ordered.

Ton-Ton stretched out his arms and, legs apart, leaned his palms against the wall.

– Do not forget: if you move, it will only get worse. Ton-Ton nodded.

The keeper unlocked the closet and began to select a cane. Matt saw that there were walking sticks of various sizes inside. Jorge did not immediately choose the right one. Tone-Tone whined softly.

Finally the keeper settled on a stick as thick as a thumb. He slapped it across the bed, testing it for strength.A dead silence reigned in the room, broken only by Ton-Tone’s sobs.

Jorge, patting himself on the palm of his cane, slowly paced back and forth. He seemed to be deciding which part of Ton-Tone’s body would be better to start with. The boy’s arms and legs were shaking; he seemed about to collapse to the floor. Matt could hardly believe what was happening. It was so cruel, so pointless! Tone-Tone has already shown that he is ready to obey. He humiliated himself before the keepers at their first request. But maybe that’s the point.El-Patron said more than once: if you cannot get to your sworn enemy, punish the first person who comes to hand in front of him in order to sharpen it.

“It’s me,” thought Matt. “I’m the enemy that Jorge wants to intimidate!”

Suddenly the guardian stopped pacing and darted forward like lightning. Tone-Tone, completely distraught with horror, started to run. Jorge caught up with him in two jumps, knocked him to the floor and began to beat him anywhere. He whipped and whipped until the cane was stained with blood.Fidelito hid his face on Matt’s chest.

Finally Jorge stepped back, breathing heavily.

“Take him to the infirmary,” he told the boys huddling at the door.

Those obediently picked up Ton-Ton, who was limp like a rag doll, and carried away.

Jorge leaned his cane against the bed and dried his face with a towel. Nobody moved. The boys held their breath. After a moment, Jorge looked up, and the usual expression of a kind teacher appeared on his face again. The rage vanished from him, as it had instantly vanished from Tom’s face, and this change was even more terrible than the anger itself.

“I think our aristocrat has learned his lesson,” he said gently. “So, Matt, let’s continue. Can you confess any wrongdoing to us?

“No,” Matt said, pushing Fidelito out of harm’s way.

Everyone gasped.

– I beg your pardon?

– I haven’t done anything wrong.

Matt learned his lesson well. Its meaning was this: even slavish obedience does not help to avoid punishment.

– I see, – the keeper sighed. – You won’t be helped by anything.Get into a pose.

“I don’t see the difference,” Matt said. “You beat Tone-Tone, although he was lying on the floor.

– Listen. It will be easier for you, – someone dared to whisper.

Jorge turned sharply, but did not have time to see the speaker.

Matt crossed his arms over his chest. In his soul, he trembled with fear, but tried not to show it. He gave the Guardian the cold, contemptuous look that El-Patron used to look at guilty servants.

“Some boys,” Jorge said in a quiet, insinuating voice that sent goosebumps down Matt’s spine. “Some boys are too naughty and have to be taught in a difficult way.They have to be broken, repaired and broken again until they learn to do as ordered. The task may be as simple as sweeping the floor, but they will do it willingly so they don’t get broken again. And they will do so forever, until the end of their days.

“In other words, you want to turn me into a zombie,” Matt said.

– What are you ?! – cried several voices at once.

– How dare you accuse me of this ?! Jorge reached for his cane.

– I confess for him! I! – screamed Fidelito, jumping out into the middle of the room.- He dropped the soap in the shower and did not pick it up. And he threw out the porridge, because there was a cockroach in it.

– Fidelito, you idiot! Chacho moaned.

– He really did it. Truth! – shouted the kid. Jorge looked from Fidelito to Matt with interest.

“Come on, sit down,” Matt hissed through clenched teeth.

– Stop! – cried Jorge. – Here we see an example of the worst social disorder. The aristocrat turned this boy into a footman. And therefore the lackey should be punished.

“You’re going to kill him,” Matt cried.

“No one can be too young to learn,” Jorge objected. “Even kings were flogged from infancy to teach them not to cry at ceremonial events. From the age of six months!

He made me, Matt thought wistfully. No matter how much he resisted Jorge’s orders, he could not give up the baby.

“Okay, I confess,” Matt said. “I really dropped the soap in the shower and didn’t pick it up. And he threw out the porridge, because there was a cockroach in it.

– What else? The keeper inquired curiously.

– I pee in a shrimp vat – don’t ask which one, I don’t remember. And he didn’t close the water in the kitchen sink.

– Get into a pose.

Matt obeyed, hating himself for it, but hating the keeper even more. While Jorge paced around, exhausting his nerves, the boy kept a proud silence. And when the keeper darted across the room and struck the first blow, he did not scream, although he almost fainted from the pain.

He silently endured the second blow, too, and the third, and the fourth.After six blows, Jorge decided that it was enough for today, or maybe he simply ran out of energy spent on spanking Ton-Ton. Matt thought he was very lucky, but he had no doubt that even worse torments awaited him ahead. Jorge won’t give up so easily.

Matt hobbled to his seat and collapsed onto his bunk. He barely noticed Jorge leave, but as soon as the door closed, the boys jumped out of their bunks and huddled around Matt.

– You’re a fine fellow! They shouted.

“Jorge is a weakling,” a tall, skinny guy named Flaco said contemptuously.

– Weak ?! – Matt said barely audibly. – But I gave in.

– Chale! Nothing like this! – exclaimed Flaco. – Today Jorge crossed all the boundaries. If they hear about this at the headquarters of the keepers, he will be finished.

– Who will tell them? – objected Chacho. – We are here like on the moon.

“Soon I’ll be an adult and get out of here,” Flaco said. “Then I’ll go to headquarters and tell you everything.”

“I can’t wait,” Chacho muttered.

“And you are a brave fellow – you took the punishment instead of Fidelito,” Flaco said to Mattu.- We thought you were a rotten aristocrat, but you, it turns out, are the same as we are,

– And what did I tell you! – beamed Fidelito.

And then the boys began to argue about which of them understood before anyone else that Matt was not a rotten aristocrat, but Mui Hente was a cool guy. Matt lay there and felt their recognition enveloping him like a warm wave. His head was spinning from pain, but he was ready to endure anything, because he was loved.

“Hey, gotta get it fixed,” Flaco said finally.

The guys looked out into the corridor, made sure that no one was there, and carried Matt to the infirmary, where the bandaged Ton-Ton was already sleeping soundly asleep. A pockmarked guy in a green uniform bandaged Matt’s wounds and poured three drops of colorless liquid into a spoon.

Laudanum, Matt realized, noticing the label on the bottle.

He began to struggle, refusing to take the medicine. He didn’t want to turn into a zombie like Felicia or die like poor Mohawick. However, he did not have enough strength for a long resistance.Swimming in a dope, Matt wondered: if he dies and ends up in the places where non-people go after death, will he meet Mohovichka there? And won’t the dog clutch Mattu’s ankle for taking it away from Maria?

Weapons for bioengineered aliens

The advantages of bioengineering weapons are autonomy and self-reproduction. Truly advanced bioengineering would create a terribly effective weapon. This answer will cover some of the different archetypes of potential living weapons.

Biological Warfare

The simplest biological weapon is one that humans are already working on. What we consider to be “biological warfare”. In essence, this is tantamount to creating powerful diseases. If your aliens use DNA and RNA, then their engineering technology will likely work on our existing pathogens. Aliens will have to do a lot of analysis to understand how Earth’s biology works, but once they gain basic knowledge, they can create diseases that are more devastating than humanity has ever encountered.

Viruses specifically designed to kill an entire population in a few days are just the beginning. Bacteria, fungi and plants designed to destroy infrastructure and electronics, crops and livestock are also possible. Entire ecosystems could be destroyed by the extinction of vital key species. Your alien genetic engineers can create diseases to poison our soils, our seas and our air. If they so wanted, they could destroy not only humanity, but also life as we know it.

These are truly weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear or even antimatter weapons simply render one planet uninhabitable. It is a weapon of genocide, contagious and tough enough for refugees to bring with them to other worlds, repeating the process over and over. One space dispute is capable of destroying an interstellar civilization.

Conventional war

Regarding conventional warfare, I think it is important to note that there is no reason why biotechnology cannot be used to make electrically powered metal and plastic weapons.I assume you want your weapon to be soft, sticky and wriggling, because otherwise what’s the point?

With that said, much of what is possible for your aliens in terms of weapons will depend on how advanced they are. Our modern technologies based on metals, plastics and silicon significantly surpass all life on Earth and, of course, everything that the Earth can develop. But your aliens appear to be capable of spaceflight using living spaceships, so they’ve clearly improved maternal nature.Organic materials like spider silk can be quite durable and even outperform man-made materials in some areas. Luckily for aliens, the strongest material ever tested, graphene, is actually carbon-based. In theory, your biotechnology can synthesize various carbon allotropes. Weapon barrels, ship hulls, bunkers and armor plates could be composed of monomolecular sheets of graphene grown by carbon from biological processes sandwiched between protein layers that provide additional mechanical strength, as well as thermal and electrical insulation.Such an arrangement would probably be incredibly effective as a form of armor. On the offensive front, biological processes are quite capable of causing potent poisons, explosive chemicals, strong acids and the aforementioned diseases. This means that from the point of view of conventional weapons, you can easily imagine a large biological reservoir that your aliens can enter in order to fire their beams of flame or fire explosive projectiles. But let’s try to think outside the box.Why pilot your tank at all? This is a living being, let’s make it intelligent. This is where the advantage of autonomy lies.

Standalone weapon

Imagine a fruit fly. A tiny flying insect 2.5 mm long. It has 250,000 neurons that allow it to walk and fly, find food, mate, lay eggs, and avoid our clumsy attempts to crush it. It is easy to imagine how a brain of this size could be programmed to walk and fly, find people, deliver disease, poisons, acids and explosives, and avoid basic countermeasures.As an example, I’m using fruit flies to simply point out how small a brain is needed to implement fairly complex behaviors that will help create effective weapons. It is this ability to produce autonomous, intelligent weapons that is the greatest strength of organic technology in “conventional” warfare. Your missiles won’t be fooled by flares or other countermeasures. Your tanks will be scientists in the calculation of trajectories. Your mines will distinguish from each other and the enemy.

By autonomy I mean not only the ability of this weapon to function without its owners, but also its independence from any material and technical structure. They are fully operational without any external input in the form of supplies or commands. A surface-to-air missile is expensive. Humans have to mine and refine all kinds of materials, shape them through several successive steps, create incredibly advanced microchips, put them all together, transport them to the front line and put them on the launcher.Imagine if you could just plant a seed at the end of a feed hose and grow a smart rocket. As it grows, it chemically refines its nutrients into an explosive warhead and fills its interior with fuel. It creates its own launch structure and grows aerodynamic, adjustable fins and a suspension-shaped rocket nozzle. In its nose, it forms an advanced eye, constantly scanning the sky, and right behind it is a brain instinctively programmed to destroy the enemy ship.

While this rocket may be significantly less efficient than a man-made rocket, its important advantage is that it is free. Made organically from the water, soil and sunshine of the world where it didn’t need to be transported, it’s just grown where it needs to be.

Now imagine that the feed hose that provided everything needed for the rocket also grew from a seed. A seed that was planted in sunlight on the banks of a river on which huge tracts of photosynthetic leaves grew for energy.The center sends roots deep into the earth and water to gather the necessary materials and uses them to power an entire battery of missiles, interceptors, ground forces and, of course, seeds for more centers.