Being Vigilant Against Rare Foodborne Diseases

In the status quo, many doctors have never heard of a variety of conditions and diseases that plague the world today. How are people supposed to seek help when no doctor knows anything about their conditions? Those who suffer from such conditions, such as the auto-immune disease Hidradenitis Suppurativa (H.S.), are left without answers when doctors turn them away.

Many with symptoms of H.S. are unable to be professionally diagnosed due to its lack of knowledge in the general medical community. Due to its rarity, it is rarely diagnosed, according to Dr. Amir Tahernia, a surgery professional who has extensive experience in dealing with patients with H.S. “Therefore, many with H.S. are frustrated by not having access to proper treatment,” Dr. Tahernia says.

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that the doctors had no idea what they were dealing with and refused to admit their lack of knowledge. They ultimately forced Mitchell to do her own research on her condition.

Few things are known about H.S.—it is a reaction in the sweat glands triggered by something entering the body, it often shows up in early stages of life, it can be more serious with more weight, and it is more common amongst females. Even though H.S. is not a well-known condition, medical sources estimate that it affects roughly 1-4% of the global population.

H.S. is an unhealthy, painful reaction that causes distress to a person’s skin. This can be triggered by many things—for some people, such as Lasell College student Amanda Mitchell, H.S is triggered by most nightshade vegetables— tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and bell peppers.

Mitchell spent over a year living with H.S. She was told by various doctors that it was perhaps her weight, her diet or puberty that was causing her condition. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that the doctors had no idea what they were dealing with and refused to admit their lack of knowledge. They ultimately forced Mitchell to do her own research on her condition.

Within a few days, Mitchell found out the scientific name for her condition as well its causes. She found that the reaction, when triggered, is similar to an allergy—while it is not fatal, H.S. should not be ignored as it can cause irritation to the skin and semi-to-permanent  scarring.

“Like all autoimmune diseases, your body just thinks that there’s something wrong. But in this case, it’s with your skin, so you get cysts because your antibodies are kind of going crazy,” Mitchell said.

The reaction doesn’t immediately start right away, however. Mitchell, for example, experiences the reaction just 24 hours after eating any of the mentioned foods. Unfortunately, after consumption, the reaction cannot be prevented, forcing Mitchell to let the disease run its course. The condition of the affected areas of skin, she admits, is serious and has made her feel unattractive at times.

H.S. can still be found in many people, often going unnoticed by carriers. Local dining employee Jess Morresacca also admits to having a similar case.

“I found out on Google that it was H.S. So I just stopped eating the foods on the list and it seemed to help. It’s just like—how did I find that out so easily when doctors couldn’t?”

While there is plenty of information at the hands of the patient to find out more regarding their condition, professionals and experts still struggle to find solutions.

Those who are affected, like Mitchell and Moresacca, have to live their lives similar to those with allergies. People with H.S. constantly have to check food labels, ask food preparers for ingredient lists and oftentimes miss out on meals because there’s nothing available for them to eat.

“It’s not a main allergy—like peanuts—so no one really cares about it. So when I say I can’t eat tomatoes, everyone’s like, what?” Moresacca said. Moreover, she says that it is not as black and white as just not eating the vegetables—potato starch and tomato extract are commonly used as preservatives in many foods, which trigger the reaction as well.

H.S. significantly impacts many people’s  lives. Advice given from both interviewees holds a similar message: do not take “no” as an answer from a professional—if there is something wrong, seek help.