Wheat also known as Gehun (Hindi), Gom (Bengali), Gahu (Marathi), Godhi (Kannada), Gothmbu (Malyalam), Godumai (Tamil), Godhumalu (Telugu) is an annual grass belonging to:
- Family: Poaceae
- Sub-family: Pooideae
- Genus: Triticum
- Species: Triticum sativum
- Alternative name: Triticum aestivum
- Common name: Wheat.
Wheat is a mild allergen with flowering in high summer.
Allergens: 1.3-beta-glucanase allergen is the major allergen. Wheat also contains the Group 1 to 5 allergens (Tri a 1 to Tri a 5), group 13 (Tri a 13) and profilin present in grass pollen of the Pooideae sub-family.
Cross-reactivity: cross reactivity has been found to be present in the Pooideae sun family including the grass pollen (Poa pratensis, Phelum pratense, Lolium perenne) and the cereal pollen (Wheat, Barley, Rye).
Symptoms: Wheat can cause 3 different diseases- pollen allergy, food allergy and Baker’s asthma.
Baker’s asthma is an occupational allergy in which sensitisation occurs via inhalation of cereal flours.
Cereal pollen allergy has a low prevalence, but may be important in sensitized individuals with occupational exposure to cereal pollen.
