Goosefoot Allergen Facts, Symptoms, and Treatment
Learn more about common allergic diseases, symptoms, management paradigms, and testing considerations.
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Learn more about common allergic diseases, symptoms, management paradigms, and testing considerations.
Is your patient a candidate for specific IgE testing?
Get detailed information on whole allergens and allergen components.
Ready to test a patient?
Access videos and webinars delivered by key experts in the field of allergy.
Goosefoot is an annual herb that originated in Europe but is now found throughout the world. Ranging in height from 30 centimeters to 2 meters (roughly 12 inches to 6.5 feet), the plant gets its name from the shape of its leaves, which resemble a goose foot. Covered in a waxy substance, the herb tolerates salty soils and is found in locales such as open habitats and cultivated fields.1 Goosefoot, which is moderately allergenic, produces flowers that are pollinated by wind from spring to fall.1,2
While goosefoot is found throughout the world, it originated in Europe.1 Goosefoot is abundant in Middle Eastern countries, where it was previously used in greening programs and where it is a major sensitizer for asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever).4
Many patients with goosefoot allergy can experience symptoms when exposed to other allergens such as tree, weed, or grass pollens, making it difficult to determine which pollen is causing the symptoms, especially when pollen seasons are overlapping. This is called cross-reactivity and occurs when your body's immune system identifies the proteins, or components, in different substances as being structurally similar or biologically related, thus triggering a response.5 Other respiratory allergens that may cause reactions associated with Goosefoot are certain grasses, trees, and weeds (e.g., birch, alder, juniper, ragweed, mugwort, olive, etc).5,9
If you experience an itchy mouth or throat after eating fresh fruit or raw vegetables, you may suffer from Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS), sometimes called Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS). This condition is caused by your immune system's reaction to similar proteins, or components, found in different allergens. It is quite common, with up to 25 percent of children with allergic rhinitis (i.e., hay fever) also suffering from OAS.6 Common plant foods involved in OAS for goosefoot include fresh fruits such as melon, banana, and peach.9
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The management of allergic rhinitis includes avoidance of relevant allergens, symptomatic treatment, and allergen immunotherapy.6-8
Goosefoot allergy symptoms can be similar to many other pollen allergies and may include:3,6
If you're sensitized to goosefoot and have asthma, the weed pollen may trigger or worsen asthma symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing.3,6
Together with your symptom history, skin-prick testing or specific IgE blood testing can help determine if you are sensitized to a particular allergen. If you are diagnosed with an allergy, your healthcare provider will work with you to create a management plan.
*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.
Goosefoot is wind-pollinated from spring to fall and is moderately allergenic.1,2