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ospam (DJS0302) wrote in message >...
> >What's more, I'd like to know where all the people with these deadly
> >allergies were in the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, and early '90s. I never
> >heard of allergies like these until recent years, although I knew
> >plenty of people allergic to dust, pollen, pet dander, wool, etc., and
> >I don't think anyone died from those.
> >
> >--
> >Wayne in Phoenix
>
>
>
> From 1st grade to my last year of college I did not hear of one person in
> school having a peanut allergy. What's funny is when someone says they're
> allergic to all nuts. How can that be? Peanuts aren't even true nuts, they're
> peas. If someone is truly allergic to peanuts shouldn't they also be allergic
> to other legumes like peas or beans?

The allergen in peanuts is peanut agglutinin. Some people cross-react
with other agglutinins (such as from soybeans), others don't.
Agglutinins are pretty nasty proteins.

As for why we see these allergies now and not before - it's merely
because the allergen has been identified. People probably died from
them before, but the causative agent was unknown.

-L.