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Sample records for food allergy knowledge

  1. Food allergy knowledge, perception of food allergy labeling, and level of dietary practice: A comparison between children with and without food allergy experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Yongmi; Ju, Seyoung

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The prevalence of food allergies in Korean children aged 6 to 12 years increased from 10.9% in 1995 to 12.6% in 2012 according to nationwide population studies. Treatment for food allergies is avoidance of allergenic-related foods and epinephrine auto-injector (EPI) for accidental allergic reactions. This study compared knowledge and perception of food allergy labeling and dietary practices of students. SUBJECTS/METHODS The study was conducted with the fourth to sixth grade students from an elementary school in Yongin. A total of 437 response rate (95%) questionnaires were collected and statistically analyzed. RESULTS The prevalence of food allergy among respondents was 19.7%, and the most common food allergy-related symptoms were urticaria, followed by itching, vomiting and nausea. Food allergens, other than 12 statutory food allergens, included cheese, cucumber, kiwi, melon, clam, green tea, walnut, grape, apricot and pineapple. Children with and without food allergy experience had a similar level of knowledge on food allergies. Children with food allergy experience thought that food allergy-related labeling on school menus was not clear or informative. CONCLUSION To understand food allergies and prevent allergic reactions to school foodservice among children, schools must provide more concrete and customized food allergy education. PMID:25671074

  2. Food allergy knowledge and attitude of restaurant personnel in Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sogut, Ayhan; Kavut, Ayşe Baççıoğlu; Kartal, İbrahim; Beyhun, Ercument Nazim; Çayır, Atilla; Mutlu, Mehmet; Özkan, Behzat

    2015-02-01

    The incidence of food-induced allergic reactions is gradually increasing. Most of these allergic reactions occur in restaurants. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the awareness of restaurant personnel about food allergy. The training, knowledge levels on food allergy, and comfort level in providing safe food of 351 restaurant personnel in Erzurum Province, Turkey, were assessed through a face-to-face survey. Among the participants, 81.5% were male (mean age 28.5 ± 8.5 years). Among them, 17.1% were chefs, 11.1% managers, 5.7% owners, and 66.1% waiters. Food allergy training was reported by 17.1% of the participants. The rates of restaurant personnel who gave the correct answers to the 4 questionnaire items, "Customers with food allergies can safely consume a small amount of that food/Food allergic reaction can cause death/If a customer is having an allergic reaction, it is appropriate to immediately serve them water to 'dilute' the allergen/Removing an allergen from a finished meal (eg, taking off nuts) may be all that is necessary to provide a safe meal for an allergic customer," which measure food allergy knowledge levels, were 46.4%, 65.7%, 55.0%, and 65.7%, respectively. According to our study, there are gaps in the food allergy knowledge of restaurant personnel. Because preparing and serving safe meals to patients with food allergy in restaurants is important, the training of restaurant personnel in food allergy is necessary. © 2014 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

  3. Food allergy knowledge, attitudes and beliefs: Focus groups of parents, physicians and the general public

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barnathan Julia A

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Food allergy prevalence is increasing in US children. Presently, the primary means of preventing potentially fatal reactions are avoidance of allergens, prompt recognition of food allergy reactions, and knowledge about food allergy reaction treatments. Focus groups were held as a preliminary step in the development of validated survey instruments to assess food allergy knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of parents, physicians, and the general public. Methods Eight focus groups were conducted between January and July of 2006 in the Chicago area with parents of children with food allergy (3 groups, physicians (3 groups, and the general public (2 groups. A constant comparative method was used to identify the emerging themes which were then grouped into key domains of food allergy knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. Results Parents of children with food allergy had solid fundamental knowledge but had concerns about primary care physicians' knowledge of food allergy, diagnostic approaches, and treatment practices. The considerable impact of children's food allergies on familial quality of life was articulated. Physicians had good basic knowledge of food allergy but differed in their approach to diagnosis and advice about starting solids and breastfeeding. The general public had wide variation in knowledge about food allergy with many misconceptions of key concepts related to prevalence, definition, and triggers of food allergy. Conclusion Appreciable food allergy knowledge gaps exist, especially among physicians and the general public. The quality of life for children with food allergy and their families is significantly affected.

  4. Food Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Facebook and Twitter . Play our Food Allergy Bubble Game with Mr. Nose-it-All. Test your knowledge ... oral allergy syndrome? » Video: What is a red meat allergy? » Vitamin D and Food Allergy » When Should ...

  5. Nannies' knowledge, attitude, and management of food allergies of children: an online survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiwe, Justin C; Pazheri, Fouseena; Schroer, Brian

    2015-01-01

    Rates of food allergies in children as well as the rate of families who employ nannies have increased dramatically over the past decade. It is essential that nannies have the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize and treat food allergy reactions. To identify gaps in knowledge in the nanny population with regard to food allergy in children. A Web-based survey was sent by e-mail to 709 nannies. A total of 153 nannies (22%) completed the online survey: 26% of respondents had formal educational training at a nanny school; 99% recognized food allergy as a potentially fatal event; 37% reported caring for a child with food allergies. Of these, 71% had food allergy action plans, and 63% had epinephrine available. A total of 71% reported training on administering epinephrine. The nannies' major concerns included accidental ingestion and discomfort in administering epinephrine. A total of 36% were uncomfortable with recognizing a food allergy emergency, whereas 46% were uncomfortable administering epinephrine; 6% thought that a sensitized child could safely eat a small amount of allergenic food, whereas 14% believed that dilution with water might reduce an allergic reaction. A total of 66% desired additional information about recognizing food allergies, and 71% agreed that food allergy training should be required for all nannies. Nannies demonstrated gaps in knowledge with regard to food allergy in children, which reflects the need for more stringent training and education. Increased communication among parents, nannies, and physicians is needed to protect children with food allergy. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes of Restaurant Managers and Staff: An EHS-Net Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radke, Taylor J; Brown, Laura G; Hoover, E Rickamer; Faw, Brenda V; Reimann, David; Wong, Melissa R; Nicholas, David; Barkley, Jonathan; Ripley, Danny

    2016-09-01

    Dining outside of the home can be difficult for persons with food allergies who must rely on restaurant staff to properly prepare allergen-free meals. The purpose of this study was to understand and identify factors associated with food allergy knowledge and attitudes among restaurant managers, food workers, and servers. This study was conducted by the Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net), a collaborative forum of federal, state, and local environmental health specialists working to understand the environmental factors associated with food safety issues. EHS-Net personnel collected data from 278 randomly selected restaurants through interviews with restaurant managers, food workers, and servers. Results indicated that managers, food workers, and servers were generally knowledgeable and had positive attitudes about accommodating customers' food allergies. However, we identified important gaps, such as more than 10% of managers and staff believed that a person with a food allergy can safely consume a small amount of that allergen. Managers and staff also had lower confidence in their restaurant's ability to properly respond to a food allergy emergency. The knowledge and attitudes of all groups were higher at restaurants that had a specific person to answer food allergy questions and requests or a plan for answering questions from food allergic customers. However, food allergy training was not associated with knowledge in any of the groups but was associated with manager and server attitudes. Based on these findings, we encourage restaurants to be proactive by training staff about food allergies and creating plans and procedures to reduce the risk of a customer having a food allergic reaction.

  7. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes of Restaurant Managers and Staff: An EHS-Net Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radke, Taylor J.; Brown, Laura G.; Hoover, E. Rickamer; Faw, Brenda V.; Reimann, David; Wong, Melissa R.; Nicholas, David; Barkley, Jonathan; Ripley, Danny

    2016-01-01

    Dining outside of the home can be difficult for persons with food allergies who must rely on restaurant staff to properly prepare allergen-free meals. The purpose of this study was to understand and identify factors associated with food allergy knowledge and attitudes among restaurant managers, food workers, and servers. This study was conducted by the Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net), a collaborative forum of federal, state, and local environmental health specialists working to understand the environmental factors associated with food safety issues. EHS-Net personnel collected data from 278 randomly selected restaurants through interviews with restaurant managers, food workers, and servers. Results indicated that managers, food workers, and servers were generally knowledgeable and had positive attitudes about accommodating customers’ food allergies. However, we identified important gaps, such as more than 10% of managers and staff believed that a person with a food allergy can safely consume a small amount of that allergen. Managers and staff also had lower confidence in their restaurant’s ability to properly respond to a food allergy emergency. The knowledge and attitudes of all groups were higher at restaurants that had a specific person to answer food allergy questions and requests or a plan for answering questions from food allergic customers. However, food allergy training was not associated with knowledge in any of the groups but was associated with manager and server attitudes. Based on these findings, we encourage restaurants to be proactive by training staff about food allergies and creating plans and procedures to reduce the risk of a customer having a food allergic reaction. PMID:28221943

  8. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twichell, Sarah; Wang, Kathleen; Robinson, Humaira; Acebal, Maria; Sharma, Hemant

    2015-01-01

    Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94%) felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%). Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82%) and allergen-free tables (44%) should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55%) and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%). Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes. PMID:27417367

  9. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twichell, Sarah; Wang, Kathleen; Robinson, Humaira; Acebal, Maria; Sharma, Hemant

    2015-07-21

    Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94%) felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%). Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82%) and allergen-free tables (44%) should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55%) and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%). Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes.

  10. Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Twichell

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94% felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%. Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82% and allergen-free tables (44% should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55% and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%. Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes.

  11. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of food allergies among food handlers in the state of Penang, Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafie, A A; Azman, A W

    2015-09-01

    Food handler's knowledge, attitude and practice regarding food allergies are important to prevent debilitating and sometimes fatal reactions. This study aimed to assess their food allergy knowledge, attitude and practice, which could help to maintain the safety and hygiene of food consumed by the public. Cross-sectional survey. A cross-sectional survey involving 121 conveniently sampled (81.76% response rate) respondents among the food handlers in the state of Penang, Malaysia, was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Their knowledge, attitude and work practice were captured using a 37-item questionnaire that elicited their responses using a mixture of closed-ended and Likert scale techniques. The mean knowledge score for respondents was 50.23 (SD = 14.03), attitude score was 54.26 (SD = 11.67) and practice score was 45.90 (SD = 24.78). Only 1.79% of the respondents were considered to have excellent knowledge, 21.37% had a low risk practice and 4.27% had positive attitudes towards food allergies. Most of the respondents (70%) knew about food allergies and their seriousness. There was a statistically significant correlation between the attitude and practice of respondents (r = 0.51). The type of establishment was the only characteristic significantly associated (P safety training programmes is needed to reduce food allergy risks and prevent fatal allergic reactions to food among their customers. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Food allergy: epidemiology and natural history.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Jessica; Johns, Christina B

    2015-02-01

    The prevalence of food allergy is rising for unclear reasons, with prevalence estimates in the developed world approaching 10%. Knowledge regarding the natural course of food allergies is important because it can aid the clinician in diagnosing food allergies and in determining when to consider evaluation for food allergy resolution. Many food allergies with onset in early childhood are outgrown later in childhood, although a minority of food allergy persists into adolescence and even adulthood. More research is needed to improve food allergy diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Parental Perception, Prevalence and Primary Care Physicians’ Knowledge on Childhood Food Allergy in Croatia

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    Tamara Voskresensky Baricic

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Food allergy in children is increasing and the perception of food allergy among parents is even more common. In a questionnaire-based study of 702 children aged 6 to 48 months in four primary care settings, the aim was to determine the prevalence of perception vs. proven food allergy, parental anxiety and general pediatrician knowledge of food allergy. In 95/702 children (13.5% parentally-reported food was associated reactions. IgE and/or skin prick test (SPT and/or an open provocation test were performed in 48 (6.8% and allergy was proven in 38 (5.4% children. Discrepancy between parental perception and proven allergy is significant (p < 0.001, especially for food other than milk, egg and peanut (p < 0.001. Allergy to milk was the most common. Allergy to peanut was significantly more common in children ≥2 years (p < 0.05. Severe reactions occurred in 5/95 (5.2% of all children and in 5/38 (13.1% of allergic children, in 3/5 caused by peanut. Parents of children with proven allergy do not experience high degree of anxiety. The perception of food allergy among general pediatricians is limited, and in children with severe reactions precautionary measures and information to parents were insufficient. Parents and general pediatricians need additional education in food allergy.

  14. Relationship Between Mothers’ Role and Knowledge in Recurrence Prevention of Food Allergy for Children Under Five Years-Old

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    Fitria Rinawarti

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available There are 30-40% of people with allergies world wide in 2011, this is based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC more than tripled from 1993 to 2006. Parents play an important role in overcoming the recurrence of allergies in children in order of recurrence allergies and more severe recurrence. The goal of the study is to analyze association mothers’s role and knowledge in recurrence prevention of food allergy in children under five years-old. The study is an analytic observational research with cross sectional design. Method of sampling usedis simple random sampling. The samples were 39 mothers who have children under five years-old with food allergy in Rumah Sakit Islam Jemursari Surabaya. Analysis used chi-square test with α = 0.05 significance level.The results revealed the knowledge of mothers’ with allergy recurrance is 15 person (38,5% have a good knowledge in prevention of food allergy in children under five years-old, while mothers’s role in recurrence prevention of food allergy in children under five years-old is 26 person (66,7% have a role unfavorable. The statistical test by using chi-square revealed there were association between mothers’role (ρ=0,030 and mother’s of knowledge (ρ=0,00001in recurrence prevention of food allergy for children under five years-old.The conclusions of the results this study is mothers’s role with unfavorable to have children under five years-old with an allergy recurrence of severe allergy, while mothers with good knowledge to have children under five years-old with an allergy reccurrance of mild allergy. Keywords: recurrence allergies, mother’s role, mother’s knowledge

  15. Food allergy knowledge of parents - is ignorance bliss?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goossens, Nicole J.; Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; van der Meulen, Gerbrich N.; Botjes, Erna; Burgerhof, Hans G. M.; Gupta, Ruchi S.; Springston, Elizabeth E.; Smith, Bridget; Duiverman, Eric J.; Dubois, Anthony E. J.

    Background: Food allergic children are at least partially dependent on their parents to care for their food allergy. In addition, parents are often responsible for the education of others regarding food allergy, including the family, school, neighbors, and friends. The aim of this study was to

  16. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines. Food allergy health-related quality of life measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muraro, A; Dubois, A E J; DunnGalvin, A; Hourihane, J O'B; de Jong, N W; Meyer, R; Panesar, S S; Roberts, G; Salvilla, S; Sheikh, A; Worth, A; Flokstra-de Blok, B M J

    2014-07-01

    Instruments have been developed and validated for the measurement of health-related quality of life in patients with food allergy. This guideline has been prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology's (EAACI) Guidelines for Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Group. It draws on a systematic review of the literature on quality of life instruments for food allergy and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE II) guideline development process. Guidance is provided on the use of such instruments in research, and the current limitations of their use in clinical practice are described. Gaps in current knowledge as well as areas of future interest are also discussed. This document is relevant to healthcare workers dealing with food-allergic patients, scientists engaging in food allergy research and policy makers involved in regulatory aspects concerning food allergy and safety. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Food allergy

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    Youngshin Han

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Food allergy is an important public health problem affecting 5% of infants and children in Korea. Food allergy is defined as an immune response triggered by food proteins. Food allergy is highly associated with atopic dermatitis and is one of the most common triggers of potentially fatal anaphylaxis in the community. Sensitization to food allergens can occur in the gastrointestinal tract (class 1 food allergy or as a consequence of cross reactivity to structurally homologous inhalant allergens (class 2 food allergy. Allergenicity of food is largely determined by structural aspects, including cross-reactivity and reduced or enhanced allergenicity with cooking that convey allergenic characteristics to food. Management of food allergy currently focuses on dietary avoidance of the offending foods, prompt recognition and treatment of allergic reactions, and nutritional support. This review includes definitions and examines the prevalence and management of food allergies and the characteristics of food allergens.

  18. Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Food Allergies KidsHealth / For Kids / Food Allergies What's in this ... milk eggs soy wheat What Is a Food Allergy? Food allergies happen when the immune system makes ...

  19. Increasing Knowledge about Food Allergy Management in the Preschool Setting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crow, Katherine Mizell

    2018-01-01

    The prevalence of food allergies is a growing concern in the United States. Approximately 8% of the pediatric population has some form of food allergy. Many of these children are either in the preschool and primary school setting, which is where the majority of allergic reactions occur. If the symptoms of a food allergy reaction are not treated…

  20. The changing geoepidemiology of food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Patrick S C; Shu, Shang-An; Chang, Christopher

    2014-06-01

    The science of food allergy has been rapidly evolving before our eyes in the past half century. Like other allergic disorders, the prevalence of food allergies has dramatically increased, and coupled with the increased public awareness of anaphylaxis due to food allergy, this has driven an explosion in basic and clinical research in this extremely broad subject. Treatment of food allergies has evolved and practices such as food challenges have become an integral part of an allergy practice. The impact of the increase of food allergy has driven package labeling laws, legislation on emergency treatment availability in schools and other public places, and school policy. But to this day, our knowledge of the pathogenesis of food allergy is still incomplete. There are the most obvious IgE-mediated immediate hypersensitivity reactions, but then multiple previously unidentified conditions such as eosinophilic esophagitis, food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, milk protein allergy, food-induced atopic dermatitis, oral allergy syndrome, and others have complicated the diagnosis and management of many of our patients who are unable to tolerate certain foods. Many of these conditions are not IgE-mediated, but may be T cell-driven diseases. The role of T regulatory cells and immune tolerance and the newly discovered immunological role of vitamin D have shed light on the variable clinical presentation of food allergy and the development of new methods of immunotherapy in an example of bench-to-bedside research. Component-resolved diagnostic techniques have already begun to allow us to more precisely define the epitopes that are targeted in food allergic patients. The development of biological modulators, research on genomics and proteomics, and epigenetic techniques all offer promising avenues for new modes of therapy of food allergy in the twenty-first century.

  1. Prevalence of food allergy/intolerance in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard

    1997-01-01

    Discussed in this paper is the prevalence of allergy and intolerance to foods in Europe. Prevalence of allergy to food additives is not included. A fully reliable estimate of the prevalence of food allergy/intolerance does not exist. Prevalence changes with age, as does the relative importance...... of the most common food allergens. The cumulative prevalence of allergy and intolerance to cow's milk during the first year of life is approximately 2%. The total prevalence of food allergy/intolerance in children is not as well documented. In 18-month-old infants the Danish estimate is 6.5%. The high...... prevalence of peanut allergy (0.5%) in British children is not reflected in the results from other European countries. Milk, egg, fish and oranges seem to be the most common causes of allergy and intolerance in European infants and children. Results from epidemiological studies combined with the knowledge...

  2. The Natural History of Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Jessica; Sicherer, Scott; Wood, Robert

    2016-01-01

    On a population level, it is well recognized that some IgE-mediated childhood food allergies, such as milk and egg allergies, are more likely to resolve than others, such as peanut and tree nuts allergies. Unfortunately, some studies suggest that resolution rates may have slowed compared with impressions from past decades. The clinician can apply the knowledge of the epidemiology of these allergies to describe likely patient outcomes, and direct management in a general manner. However, the ability to evaluate and predict the natural course of specific food allergies for individual patients is essential to inform personalized patient care. Data are accumulating to assist in identifying whether a child's allergy has likely resolved, informing the timing of oral food challenges or subsequent testing. Exciting recent studies are increasingly identifying early prognostic markers as well. Emerging food allergy therapies carry risks and costs. Identifying which egg-allergic patient has likely persistent allergy, and which patient with peanut allergy may experience natural resolution, is becoming an important goal to identify the best candidates for these therapies. Although more work needs to be done to identify reliable predictive markers and validate them, there is already much known about the natural course of food allergies that can be applied by the clinician to improve patient care. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Food Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body's immune system. In adults, the foods ... a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. Symptoms of food allergy include Itching or swelling in your mouth Vomiting, ...

  4. The importance of educating postgraduate pediatric physicians about food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adeli, Mehdi; Hendaus, Mohamed A; Abdurrahim, Lukman I; Alhammadi, Ahmed H

    2016-01-01

    Food allergy is an increasing public health burden, and is considered among the most common chronic noncommunicable diseases in children. Proper diagnosis and management of food allergy by a health care provider is crucial in keeping affected children safe while simultaneously averting unnecessary avoidance. The rationale of the study was to estimate the knowledge of pediatric residents and academic general pediatric fellows with regard to food allergies in children. A cross-sectional and prospective study was carried out at Hamad Medical Corporation, the only tertiary care, academic and teaching hospital in the State of Qatar. The study took place between January 1, 2015 and September 30, 2015. Out of the 68 questionnaires distributed, 68 (100%) were returned by the end of the study. Among the participants, 15 (22%) were in post-graduate year-1 (PGY-1), 16 (23.5%) in PGY-2, 17 (25%) in PGY-3, 12 (16%) in PGY-4, and 8 (12%) were academic general pediatric fellows. Our trainees answered 60.14% of knowledge based questions correctly. In the section of treatment and management of food allergy in childhood, 23 (34%) of respondents' main concern when taking care of a patient with food allergies was making sure the patient is not exposed to food allergen, while 22 (33%) reported no concerns. In the section of treatment and management of food allergy in childhood, 22 (33%) of participants reported no concerns in taking care of a child with food allergy, while 23 (34%) of respondents' main concern was making sure the patient is not exposed to food allergen. In the teaching and training section, 56% of participants stated that they have not received formal education on how to recognize and treat food allergies, while 59% claimed not being trained on how to administer injectable epinephrine. Furthermore, approximately 60% of all participants expressed the need of additional information about recognizing and treating food allergies and recommended certification and regulation

  5. Food allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... questions about the food you are served. When buying food, read package ingredients carefully. ... allergies in breastfed or other children to prevent future food allergies. Always discuss this with your child's ...

  6. Development of the Chicago Food Allergy Research Surveys: assessing knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of parents, physicians, and the general public

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pongracic Jacqueline A

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Parents of children with food allergy, primary care physicians, and members of the general public play a critical role in the health and well-being of food-allergic children, though little is known about their knowledge and perceptions of food allergy. The purpose of this paper is to detail the development of the Chicago Food Allergy Research Surveys to assess food allergy knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among these three populations. Methods From 2006–2008, parents of food-allergic children, pediatricians, family physicians, and adult members of the general public were recruited to assist in survey development. Preliminary analysis included literature review, creation of initial content domains, expert panel review, and focus groups. Survey validation included creation of initial survey items, expert panel ratings, cognitive interviews, reliability testing, item reduction, and final validation. National administration of the surveys is ongoing. Results Nine experts were assembled to oversee survey development. Six focus groups were held: 2/survey population, 4–9 participants/group; transcripts were reviewed via constant comparative methods to identify emerging themes and inform item creation. At least 220 participants per population were recruited to assess the relevance, reliability, and utility of each survey item as follows: cognitive interviews, 10 participants; reliability testing ≥ 10; item reduction ≥ 50; and final validation, 150 respondents. Conclusion The Chicago Food Allergy Research surveys offer validated tools to assess food allergy knowledge and perceptions among three distinct populations: a 42 item parent tool, a 50 item physician tool, and a 35 item general public tool. No such tools were previously available.

  7. Food Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 1,3-galactose, a carbohydrate found on mammalian meat, and is associated with being bitten by the ... home. Treating Food Allergies There is currently no cure for food allergy, but there are many promising ...

  8. Food Allergies: Novel Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Costanzo, Margherita; Paparo, Lorella; Cosenza, Linda; Di Scala, Carmen; Nocerino, Rita; Aitoro, Rosita; Canani, Roberto Berni

    2016-01-01

    Childhood food allergy (FA) rates have rapidly increased with significant direct medical costs for the health care system and even larger costs for the families with a food-allergic child. The possible causes of food allergy become the target of intense scrutiny in recent years. Increasing evidence underline the importance in early life of gut microbiome in the development of allergic diseases. There are a range of factors in the modern environment that may be associated with changes to both the gut microbiome and risk of FA, such as mode of delivery, antibiotic exposure, infant feeding practices, farming environment, and country of origin. Knowledge of the relationship between early life gut microbiome and allergic diseases may facilitate development of novel preventive and treatment strategies. Based on our current knowledge, there are no currently available approved therapies for food allergy. More studies are needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of allergen-specific and allergen-nonspecific approaches, as well as combination approaches.

  9. Addressing Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeVoe, Jeanne Jackson

    2008-01-01

    Since 1960, the incidence of food allergies in children has grown fivefold, from 1 in 100 children to 1 in 20 children, according to the Food Allergy Initiative. Food allergies cause anaphylactic shock, the most severe type of allergic reaction, which can lead to death within minutes if left untreated. While there are no standard guidelines from…

  10. EAACI food allergy and anaphylaxis guidelines: diagnosis and management of food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muraro, A; Werfel, T; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K; Roberts, G; Beyer, K; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Cardona, V; Dubois, A; duToit, G; Eigenmann, P; Fernandez Rivas, M; Halken, S; Hickstein, L; Høst, A; Knol, E; Lack, G; Marchisotto, M J; Niggemann, B; Nwaru, B I; Papadopoulos, N G; Poulsen, L K; Santos, A F; Skypala, I; Schoepfer, A; Van Ree, R; Venter, C; Worm, M; Vlieg-Boerstra, B; Panesar, S; de Silva, D; Soares-Weiser, K; Sheikh, A; Ballmer-Weber, B K; Nilsson, C; de Jong, N W; Akdis, C A

    2014-08-01

    Food allergy can result in considerable morbidity, impact negatively on quality of life, and prove costly in terms of medical care. These guidelines have been prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology's (EAACI) Guidelines for Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Group, building on previous EAACI position papers on adverse reaction to foods and three recent systematic reviews on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of food allergy, and provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of food allergy. While the primary audience is allergists, this document is relevant for all other healthcare professionals, including primary care physicians, and pediatric and adult specialists, dieticians, pharmacists and paramedics. Our current understanding of the manifestations of food allergy, the role of diagnostic tests, and the effective management of patients of all ages with food allergy is presented. The acute management of non-life-threatening reactions is covered in these guidelines, but for guidance on the emergency management of anaphylaxis, readers are referred to the related EAACI Anaphylaxis Guidelines. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Precision medicine in allergic disease-food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis-PRACTALL document of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muraro, A; Lemanske, Robert F; Castells, M

    2017-01-01

    This consensus document summarizes the current knowledge on the potential for precision medicine in food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is a joint effort of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the ......This consensus document summarizes the current knowledge on the potential for precision medicine in food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is a joint effort of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology...... and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, which aims to synchronize the European and American approaches to allergy care. Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment based on disease endotypes, which are phenotypic subclasses associated with specific mechanisms underlying...

  12. Recent advances in food allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Julio Caruso Alcocer

    Full Text Available Summary Food allergy is a public health issue that has significantly increased worldwide in the past decade, affecting consumers’ quality of life and making increasing demands on health service resources. Despite recent advances in many areas of diagnosis and treatment, our general knowledge of the basic mechanisms of the disease remain limited i.e., not at pace with the exponential number of new cases and the explosion of new technologies. Many important key questions remain: What defines a major allergen? Why do some individuals develop food allergies and others do not? Which are the environmental factors? Could the environmental factors be monitored through epigenetics or modified by changes in the microbiome? Can tolerance to food be induced? Why are some foods more likely to trigger allergies than others? Does the route and timing of exposure have any role on sensitization? These and many other related questions remain unanswered. In this short review some of these topics are addressed in the light of recent advances in the area.

  13. Kids with Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... To Recipe Substitutions Substitutions for Milk Substitutions for Egg Substitutions for Wheat and Gluten Substitutions for Soy Substitutions for Peanuts and Tree Nuts Substitutions for Corn Menu Planning for the Food Allergy Cook Food & Cooking Support Forum Allergy-Friendly Foods Allergy ...

  14. Management of Food Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sh Maleknejad

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Although food allergy is a major public health problem, currently there is no effective and safe treatment except to avoid the foods .But the need for new options is critical now as the number of children diagnosed with food allergies rises. Avoiding the offending allergen in the diet is the primary treatment of food allergy. Once a food to which the patient is sensitive has been identified, the food must be removed from the diet. People with severe food allergies must be prepared to treat an anaphylactic reaction. These individuals also always should carry a syringe of adrenaline (epinephrine [EpiPen], and be prepared to self-administer it if they think they are developing an allergic reaction. Several medications are available for treating the other symptoms of food allergy. For example, antihistamines can relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, hives, sneezing, and a runny nose. Bronchodilators can relieve the symptoms of asthma. They are not effective, however, in preventing an allergic reaction when taken prior to eating the food. In fact, no medication in any form is available to reliably prevent an allergic reaction to a certain food before eating that food.Novel therapeutic approaches to food allergy can be classified as food allergen-specific therapy(immunotherapy with native or modified recombinant allergens, or oral desensitization or food allergen-nonspecifictherapy (anti-IgE, traditional Chinese medicine.   Key Words: Children, Food Allergy, Management.  

  15. Effect of educational and electronic medical record interventions on food allergy management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelig, Ari; Harwayne-Gidansky, Ilana; Gault, Allison; Wang, Julie

    2016-09-01

    The growing prevalence of food allergies indicates a responsibility among primary care providers to ensure that their patients receive accurate diagnosis and management. To improve physician knowledge and management of food allergies by implementing educational and electronic medical record interventions. Pre- and posttest scores of pediatric residents and faculty were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of an educational session designed to improve knowledge of food allergy management. One year later, a best practice advisory was implemented in the electronic medical record to alert providers to consider allergy referral whenever a diagnosis code for food allergy or epinephrine autoinjector prescription was entered. A review of charts 6 months before and 6 months after each intervention was completed to determine the impact of both interventions. Outcome measurements included referrals to an allergy clinic, prescription of self-injectable epinephrine, and documentation that written emergency action plans were provided. There was a significant increase in test scores immediately after the educational intervention (mean, 56.2 versus 84.3%; p management of children with food allergies at our pediatrics clinic. Further studies are needed to identify effective strategies to improve management of food allergies by primary care physicians.

  16. Social media as a tool for the management of food allergy in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarez-Perea, A; Cabrera-Freitag, P; Fuentes-Aparicio, V; Infante, S; Zapatero, L; Zubeldia, J M

    2018-02-07

    Food allergy heavily impairs quality of life. Avoiding the offending food requires extensive patient education. Social media have been proven a useful source of information for other chronic conditions. Our aim was to describe how pediatric patients with food allergy and their families are using social media. We performed a cross-sectional study in the Pediatric Allergy Unit of a third-level hospital. Patients with food allergy were surveyed about their disease and the use of social media. Patients over 13 years filled in the survey themselves, while parents or guardians did in the case of younger patients. We included 193 patients (162 guardians, 31 adolescents). Social media was used by 109 guardians (67.3%) and 29 adolescents (90.3%), of which 30.3% and 6.9%, respectively, used them for food allergy-allergy related purposes. Most popular websites were Facebook™ for guardians (52.2%) and YouTube™ among teenagers (80.6%). Having cow's milk and/or egg allergy was the only feature related to using social media for food allergy. Utilizing social media for food allergy information, did not correlate with the frequency of recent reactions, self-scored knowledge about food allergy or the opinion on evidence-based or alternative therapies for their disease. Most patients and guardians of patients with food allergy used social media. However, only a small portion accessed them for increasing the knowledge of their disease.

  17. FOOD ALLERGY IN CHILDHOOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Santalha

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: In these cases, most children had co-sensitization with other allergens, as well as another manifestation of concomitant allergy, showing the role of food allergy in allergic march. Food allergy diagnosis is extremely important, as it can be potentially serious if not prevented by food avoidance.

  18. [Food allergy in adulthood].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werfel, Thomas

    2016-06-01

    Food allergies can newly arise in adulthood or persist following a food allergy occurring in childhood. The prevalence of primary food allergy is basically higher in children than in adults; however, in the routine practice food allergies in adulthood appear to be increasing and after all a prevalence in Germany of 3.7 % has been published. The clinical spectrum of manifestations of food allergies in adulthood is broad. Allergy symptoms of the immediate type can be observed as well as symptoms occurring after a delay, such as indigestion, triggering of hematogenous contact eczema or flares of atopic dermatitis. The same principles for diagnostics apply in this group as in childhood. In addition to the anamnesis, skin tests and in vitro tests, as a rule elimination diets and in particular provocation tests are employed. Molecular allergy diagnostics represent a major step forward, which allow a better assessment of the risk of systemic reactions to certain foodstuffs (e.g. peanuts) and detection of cross-reactions in cases of apparently multiple sensitivities. Current German and European guidelines from 2015 are available for the practical approach to clarification of food allergies. The most frequent food allergies in adults are nuts, fruit and vegetables, which can cross-react with pollen as well as wheat, shellfish and crustaceans. The therapy of allergies involves a consistent avoidance of the allogen. Detailed dietary plans are available with avoidance strategies and instructions for suitable food substitutes. A detailed counseling of affected patients by specially trained personnel is necessary especially in order to avoid nutritional deficiencies and to enable patients to enjoy a good quality of life.

  19. Food allergy

    OpenAIRE

    Waserman Susan; Watson Wade

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Food allergy is defined as an adverse immunologic response to a dietary protein. Food-related reactions are associated with a broad array of signs and symptoms that may involve many bodily systems including the skin, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and cardiovascular system. Food allergy is a leading cause of anaphylaxis and, therefore, referral to an allergist for appropriate and timely diagnosis and treatment is imperative. Diagnosis involves a careful history and diagnost...

  20. "Exploring knowledge-user experiences in integrated knowledge translation: a biomedical investigation of the causes and consequences of food allergy".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon, Jenna; Elliott, Susan J; Clarke, Ann E

    2016-01-01

    Food allergy is a serious public health problem in Canada and other high-income countries, as it is potentially life threatening and severely impacts the quality of life for individuals and their families. Yet, many questions still remain as to its origins and determinants, and the best practices for treatment. Formed to tackle these very questions, the GET-FACTS research study centers on a novel concept in biomedical research: in order to make this science useful, knowledge creation must include meaningful interactions with knowledge-users. With this, knowledge-users are present at every stage of the research and are crucial, central and equal contributors. This study reflects on the early part of that journey from the perspective of the knowledge-users. We conducted interviews with all non-scientist members of the GET-FACTS steering committee, representing Canadian organizations that deal with patient advocacy and policy with regards to food allergy. Steering committee members had a clear sense that scientists and knowledge-users are equally responsible for putting knowledge into action and the importance of consulting and integrating knowledge-users throughout research. They also have high expectations for the GET-FACTS integrated process; that this model of doing science will create better scientists (e.g. improve communication skills) and make the scientific output more useful and relevant. Our work highlights both the unique contributions that knowledge-users can offer to knowledge creation as well as the challenges of trying to unify members from such different communities (policy/advocacy and biomedical science). There remains a real need to develop more touch points and opportunities for collaboration if true integration is to be achieved. Despite the obstacles, this model can help change the way knowledge is created in the biomedical world. ᅟ. Despite the burden of food allergic disease many questions remain as to its origins, determinants and best

  1. EAACI food allergy and anaphylaxis guidelines: diagnosis and management of food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muraro, A.; Werfel, T.; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K.; Roberts, G.; Beyer, K.; Bindslev-Jensen, C.; Cardona, V.; Dubois, A.; duToit, G.; Eigenmann, P.; Fernandez Rivas, M.; Halken, S.; Hickstein, L.; Høst, A.; Knol, E.; Lack, G.; Marchisotto, M. J.; Niggemann, B.; Nwaru, B. I.; Papadopoulos, N. G.; Poulsen, L. K.; Santos, A. F.; Skypala, I.; Schoepfer, A.; van Ree, R.; Venter, C.; Worm, M.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B.; Panesar, S.; de Silva, D.; Soares-Weiser, K.; Sheikh, A.; Ballmer-Weber, B. K.; Nilsson, C.; de Jong, N. W.; Akdis, C. A.

    2014-01-01

    Food allergy can result in considerable morbidity, impact negatively on quality of life, and prove costly in terms of medical care. These guidelines have been prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology's (EAACI) Guidelines for Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Group, building on

  2. Understanding Food Allergies: How to Prevent Peanut Allergy and More

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Subscribe March 2017 Print this issue Understanding Food Allergies How to Prevent Peanut Allergy and More En ... Allergy Therapy Seeking Allergy Relief Wise Choices Food Allergy Symptoms Pay attention to how you feel after ...

  3. Post-transplantation Development of Food Allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, Erik N; Firszt, Rafael

    2018-01-29

    The development of food allergies is increasingly being recognized as a post-solid organ transplant complication. In this article, we review the spectrum of post-transplant food allergy development and the proposed mechanisms for de novo food allergies and the clinical significance they pose. The development of new food allergies is disproportionately associated with pediatric liver transplants, where it occurs in up to 38% of select populations. The mechanism of food allergy development is not completely understood; however, it is likely promoted by unbalanced immune suppression. De novo food allergy development is a common complication of solid organ transplants with the highest risk occurring in pediatric liver transplant recipients. There are likely multiple mechanisms for food allergy development including passive transfer of membrane-bound IgE and lymphocytes from donor to recipient, as well as loss of food tolerance and active development of new food allergies. The optimal management of food allergies following organ transplants has not been well researched but may include changing the immune suppression regimen if the food allergy does not resolve without intervention.

  4. Preventing food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Silva, Debra; Panesar, Sukhmeet S; Thusu, Sundeep

    2013-01-01

    The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology is developing guidelines about how to prevent and manage food allergy. As part of the guidelines development process, a systematic review is planned to examine published research about the prevention of food allergy. This systematic review...... is one of seven inter-linked evidence syntheses that are being undertaken in order to provide a state-of-the-art synopsis of the current evidence base in relation to epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis and clinical management, and impact on quality of life, which will be used to inform clinical...... recommendations. The aim of this systematic review will be to assess the effectiveness of approaches for the primary prevention of food allergy....

  5. Attitudes and preferences of consumers toward food allergy labeling practices by diagnosis of food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ju, Se-Young; Park, Jong-Hwan; Kwak, Tong-Kyoung; Kim, Kyu-Earn

    2015-10-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate food allergens and prevalence rates of food allergies, followed by comparison of consumer attitudes and preferences regarding food allergy labeling by diagnosis of food allergies. A total of 543 individuals living in Seoul and Gyeonggi area participated in the survey from October 15 to 22 in 2013. The results show that the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed food allergies was 17.5%, whereas 6.4% of respondents self-reported food allergies. The most common allergens of doctor-diagnosed and self-reported food allergy respondents were peaches (30.3%) and eggs (33.3%), respectively, followed by peanuts, cow's milk, and crab. Regarding consumer attitudes toward food labeling, checking food allergens as an item was only significantly different between allergic and non-allergic respondents among all five items (P label, and addition of potential allergens) were necessary for an improved food allergen labeling system. PLSR analysis determined that the doctor-diagnosed group and checking of food allergens were positively correlated, whereas the non-allergy group was more concerned with checking product brands. An effective food labeling system is very important for health protection of allergic consumers. Additionally, government agencies must develop policies regarding prevalence of food allergies in Korea. Based on this information, the food industry and government agencies should provide clear and accurate food labeling practices for consumers.

  6. Attitudes and preferences of consumers toward food allergy labeling practices by diagnosis of food allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ju, Se-young; Park, Jong-Hwan; Kim, Kyu-earn

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to investigate food allergens and prevalence rates of food allergies, followed by comparison of consumer attitudes and preferences regarding food allergy labeling by diagnosis of food allergies. SUBJECTS/METHODS A total of 543 individuals living in Seoul and Gyeonggi area participated in the survey from October 15 to 22 in 2013. RESULTS The results show that the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed food allergies was 17.5%, whereas 6.4% of respondents self-reported food allergies. The most common allergens of doctor-diagnosed and self-reported food allergy respondents were peaches (30.3%) and eggs (33.3%), respectively, followed by peanuts, cow's milk, and crab. Regarding consumer attitudes toward food labeling, checking food allergens as an item was only significantly different between allergic and non-allergic respondents among all five items (P food allergen labeling system. PLSR analysis determined that the doctor-diagnosed group and checking of food allergens were positively correlated, whereas the non-allergy group was more concerned with checking product brands. CONCLUSIONS An effective food labeling system is very important for health protection of allergic consumers. Additionally, government agencies must develop policies regarding prevalence of food allergies in Korea. Based on this information, the food industry and government agencies should provide clear and accurate food labeling practices for consumers. PMID:26425282

  7. Food allergy guidance in the United States Military: A work group report from the AAAAI Military Allergy and Immunology Assembly (MAIA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waibel, Kirk; Lee, Rachel; Coop, Christopher; Mendoza, Yun; White, Kevin

    2018-05-16

    A diagnosis of food allergy adversely impacts one's ability to join or remain in the military. Inadequate knowledge or misconceptions of current military-specific standards regarding food allergy and how these apply to enlistment, induction, and retention in the United States military can potentially lead to inaccurate counseling as each military service has specific regulations which impact the evaluation and decision-making process. Recognizing this knowledge gap, the American Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) Military Allergy and Immunology Assembly (MAIA) established a Work Group who reviewed and summarized all aspects of military instructions, policies, and regulations regarding IgE mediated food allergy. A flowchart was developed outlining each step of the military entry process for an individual with a history of food allergy. Further, summary tables were made to provide improved "fluency" regarding each service's medical regulations while key considerations were outlined for the allergist who is evaluating an individual who is seeking military entry or retention. Both civilian and military allergists play an essential role in the evaluation, counseling, and management of patients with a food allergy history. Understanding the service-specific language and regulations regarding food allergy will improve the allergist's awareness, counseling, and management of these individuals. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Advances in food allergy in 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Robert A

    2016-12-01

    This review highlights research advances in food allergy that were published in the Journal in 2015. The world of food allergy research continues to rapidly accelerate, with increasing numbers of outstanding submissions to the Journal. In 2015, important studies on the epidemiology of food allergy were published, suggesting differential rates of food allergy in specific racial and ethnic groups. Even more importantly, studies were published identifying specific risk factors for the development of peanut allergy, as well as specific prevention strategies. We also saw new studies on the diagnosis of food allergy and potential approaches to the treatment of food allergy, as well as novel mechanistic studies helping to explain the immunologic correlates of food allergy and food desensitization. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Immunology of Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tordesillas, Leticia; Berin, M Cecilia; Sampson, Hugh A

    2017-07-18

    Many consider food allergy as the "second wave" of the allergy epidemic following the "first wave" of respiratory allergy, i.e., asthma and allergic rhinitis, plaguing westernized countries, with up to 8% of young children and 2%-3% of adults in the United States now affected by hypersensitivity reactions to various foods. In the past decade, there have been great strides in our understanding of the underlying immunopathogenesis of these disorders, which have led to improved diagnostic techniques, management strategies, and therapeutic approaches. Here we will review the most recent understanding of basic mechanisms underlying IgE-mediated food allergies and novel therapeutic approaches under investigation for both the prevention and treatment of IgE-mediated food allergies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Preparing School Personnel to Assist Students with Life-Threatening Food Allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hay, Genevieve H.; And Others

    1994-01-01

    Knowledge of and preparation for life-threatening food allergies will enable school personnel to better respond to students who have severe allergic reactions. Given the high incidence of food-related anaphylaxis in public places, teachers and school personnel should be aware of and prepared to handle severe food allergy reactions. (SM)

  11. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines: managing patients with food allergy in the community

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muraro, A.; Agache, I.; Clark, A.; Sheikh, A.; Roberts, G.; Akdis, C. A.; Borrego, L. M.; Higgs, J.; Hourihane, J. O.'B.; Jorgensen, P.; Mazon, A.; Parmigiani, D.; Said, M.; Schnadt, S.; van Os-Medendorp, H.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; Wickman, M.

    2014-01-01

    The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines, managing patients with food allergy (FA) in the community, intend to provide guidance to reduce the risk of accidental allergic reactions to foods in the community. This document is intended to

  12. FOOD ALLERGY IN INFANTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.I. Balabolkin

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the etiology, growth mechanisms, clinical implications, diagnostics and treatment of the infant food allergy. The author highlights the status of the allergy to the proteins of cow milk within this age group of children. Alongside the article describes the modern approaches to the diet therapy of the infants with the allergy to the proteins of cow milk.Key words: infant, food allergy, allergy to the proteins of cow milk, diet therapy.

  13. Food Allergy: Review, Classification and Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonella Cianferoni

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Food allergies, defined as an immune response to food proteins, affect as many as 8% of young children and 2% of adults in westernized countries, and their prevalence appears to be rising like all allergic diseases. In addition to well-recognized urticaria and anaphylaxis triggered by IgE antibody-mediated immune responses, there is an increasing recognition of cell-mediated disorders such as eosinophilic esophagitis and food protein-induced enterocolitis. New knowledge is being developed on the pathogenesis of both IgE and non-IgE mediated disease. Currently, management of food allergies consists of educating the patient to avoid ingesting the responsible allergen and initiating therapy if ingestion occurs. However, novel strategies are being studied, including sublingual/oral immunotherapy and others with a hope for future.

  14. Novel foods and food allergies : an exploratory study of novel foods as allergy management strategy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Putten, van M.C.

    2009-01-01

    Food allergy represents an increasing concern to society. It is defined as an inappropriate immunological reaction to normally harmless food components and affects 5-8% of children and 1-2% of adults. Since at the time of writing no cure for food allergy exists, food allergic consumers need to avoid

  15. Management of food allergy: a survey of Australian paediatricians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morawetz, Deborah Y; Hiscock, Harriet; Allen, Katrina J; Davies, Sarah; Danchin, Margie H

    2014-06-01

    The prevalence of Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy in the developed world is increasing, overwhelming tertiary allergy services. Alternative models of care are required. General paediatricians could provide this care but may require further training to do so. We aimed to determine Australian general paediatricians': (i) knowledge and management of IgE-mediated food allergy; (ii) access to and use of diagnostic services; and (iii) interest in further training. Members of the Australian Paediatric Research Network completed an online survey in 2011/12. A case study elicited paediatrician's knowledge of diagnostic history taking, testing and key management principles. Study-designed questions assessed paediatricians' current practice, access to allergy services and interest in further training. One hundred sixty-eight (43%) of 390 paediatricians responded; 93 paediatricians reported managing food allergy. Diagnostic and management practices varied widely. Paediatricians had high levels of agreement (>90%) for only three of 13 questions pertaining to diagnosis and management. Only 56 (61%) correctly identified that a diagnosis of IgE-mediated food allergy requires a history consistent with a clinical reaction and a positive specific serum IgE antibody or skin prick test result. Reported waiting times for tertiary allergy services ranged from 5.4 (private) to 10.6 months (public). Most (91%) paediatricians expressed interest in further training. General paediatricians would benefit from further training if they are to practice allergy care as their diagnosis and management is often inconsistent with international guidelines. Training could be delivered online to maximise reach and uptake. If effective, such a model could relieve some of the burden experienced by Australian tertiary allergy services. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  16. Japanese guidelines for food allergy 2017.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebisawa, Motohiro; Ito, Komei; Fujisawa, Takao

    2017-04-01

    Five years have passed since the Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Food Allergy (JPGFA) was first revised in 2011 from its original version. As many scientific papers related to food allergy have been published during the last 5 years, the second major revision of the JPGFA was carried out in 2016. In this guideline, food allergies are generally classified into four clinical types: (1) neonatal and infantile gastrointestinal allergy, (2) infantile atopic dermatitis associated with food allergy, (3) immediate-type of food allergy (urticaria, anaphylaxis, etc.), and (4) special forms of immediate-type of food allergy such as food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis and oral allergy syndrome (OAS). Much of this guideline covers the immediate-type of food allergy that is seen during childhood to adolescence. Infantile atopic dermatitis associated with food allergy type is especially important as the onset of most food allergies occurs during infancy. We have discussed the neonatal and infantile gastrointestinal allergy and special forms of immediate type food allergy types separately. Diagnostic procedures are highlighted, such as probability curves and component-resolved diagnosis, including the recent advancement utilizing antigen-specific IgE. The oral food challenge using a stepwise approach is recommended to avoid complete elimination of causative foods. Although oral immunotherapy (OIT) has not been approved as a routine treatment by nationwide insurance, we included a chapter for OIT, focusing on efficacy and problems. Prevention of food allergy is currently the focus of interest, and many changes were made based on recent evidence. Finally, the contraindication between adrenaline and antipsychotic drugs in Japan was discussed among related medical societies, and we reached an agreement that the use of adrenaline can be allowed based on the physician's discretion. In conclusion, this guideline encourages physicians to follow the principle to let patients

  17. Food allergy: is prevalence increasing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Mimi L K; Mullins, Raymond J

    2017-03-01

    It is generally accepted that the prevalence of food allergy has been increasing in recent decades, particularly in westernised countries, yet high-quality evidence that is based on challenge confirmed diagnosis of food allergy to support this assumption is lacking because of the high cost and potential risks associated with conducting food challenges in large populations. Accepting this caveat, the use of surrogate markers for diagnosis of food allergy (such as nationwide data on hospital admissions for food anaphylaxis or clinical history in combination with allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) measurement in population-based cohorts) has provided consistent evidence for increasing prevalence of food allergy at least in western countries, such as the UK, United States and Australia. Recent reports that children of East Asian or African ethnicity who are raised in a western environment (Australia and United States respectively) have an increased risk of developing food allergy compared with resident Caucasian children suggest that food allergy might also increase across Asian and African countries as their economies grow and populations adopt a more westernised lifestyle. Given that many cases of food allergy persist, mathematical principles would predict a continued increase in food allergy prevalence in the short to medium term until such time as an effective treatment is identified to allow the rate of disease resolution to be equal to or greater than the rate of new cases. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  18. Japanese Guideline for Food Allergy 2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urisu, Atsuo; Ebisawa, Motohiro; Ito, Komei; Aihara, Yukoh; Ito, Setsuko; Mayumi, Mitsufumi; Kohno, Yoichi; Kondo, Naomi

    2014-09-01

    A food allergy is defined as "a phenomenon in which adverse reactions are caused through antigen-specific immunological mechanisms after exposure to given food." Various symptoms of food allergy occur in many organs. Food allergies are classified roughly into 4 clinical types: (1) neonatal and infantile gastrointestinal allergy, (2) infantile atopic dermatitis associated with food allergy, (3) immediate-type food allergy (urticaria, anaphylaxis, etc.), and (4) food dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis and oral allergy syndrome (i.e., specific forms of immediate food allergy). The therapy for food allergies includes treatment of and prophylactic measures against hypersensitivity such as anaphylaxis. A fundamental prophylactic measure is the elimination diet. However, elimination diets should be used only if necessary because of the patient-related burden. For this purpose, it is very important that causative foods be accurately identified. There are a number of means available to identify causative foods, including the history taking, a skin prick test, detection of antigen-specific IgE antibodies in the blood, the basophil histamine release test, the elimination diet test, and the oral challenge test, etc. Of these, the oral challenge test is the most reliable. However, it should be conducted under the supervision of experienced physicians because it may cause adverse reactions, such as anaphylaxis.

  19. EAACI food allergy and anaphylaxis guidelines. Primary prevention of food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muraro, A; Halken, S; Arshad, S H

    2014-01-01

    Food allergy can have significant effects on morbidity and quality of life and can be costly in terms of medical visits and treatments. There is therefore considerable interest in generating efficient approaches that may reduce the risk of developing food allergy. This guideline has been prepared...

  20. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines. Primary prevention of food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muraro, A.; Halken, S.; Arshad, S. H.; Beyer, K.; Dubois, A. E. J.; Du Toit, G.; Eigenmann, P. A.; Grimshaw, K. E. C.; Hoest, A.; Lack, G.; O'Mahony, L.; Papadopoulos, N. G.; Panesar, S.; Prescott, S.; Roberts, G.; de Silva, D.; Venter, C.; Verhasselt, V.; Akdis, A. C.; Sheikh, A.

    Food allergy can have significant effects on morbidity and quality of life and can be costly in terms of medical visits and treatments. There is therefore considerable interest in generating efficient approaches that may reduce the risk of developing food allergy. This guideline has been prepared by

  1. O conhecimento de pediatras sobre alergia alimentar: estudo piloto Pediatricians' knowledge on food allergy: pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dirceu Sole

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar o conhecimento de pediatras sobre alergia alimentar. MÉTODOS: Dados obtidos de questionário padronizado, postado e respondido por pediatras filiados à Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria (SBP. Digitação dos dados em planilha Excel e análise de freqüência de respostas afirmativas em porcentagem. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 895 questionários preenchidos por pediatras de todo o país, com predomínio da região Sudeste (61,6%. Segundo os pediatras entrevistados, as manifestações diagnósticas de alergia alimentar são: respiratórias, cutâneas e sistêmicas, em iguais proporções. Ainda segundo estes pediatras, leite de vaca (98,9%, clara de ovo (58,7% e amendoim (50,9% são os principais alimentos associados a essas manifestações. Embora 74,8% dos respondedores tivessem identificados os corantes e aditivos alimentares como responsáveis pela alergia alimentar, apenas 19,4% conheciam o código de identificação da tartrazina. CONCLUSÕES: Os dados apresentados reforçam a necessidade de ampliação dos conhecimentos dos profissionais de saúde sobre o diagnóstico e tratamento da alergia alimentar, com o objetivo de garantir o uso de critérios diagnósticos e terapêuticos mais adequados.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge of Brazilian pediatricians about food allergy. METHODS: Data was obtained from a sent back posted written questionnaire. It was filled in by Brazilian pediatricians, affiliated to the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics. Data was transcript to an Excel spread sheet and the frequency of affirmative responses was reported as percentages. RESULTS: Data from 895 written questionnaire of pediatricians from all over Brazil, (mainly from the southeastern region - 61.6%, were analyzed. The main clinical expressions of food allergy determined by the pediatricians were: respiratory, cutaneous and systemic symptoms (equal proportions. According to these pediatricians, cow's milk (98.9%, egg white (58.7% and

  2. Doctor, my child is bullied: food allergy management in schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egan, Maureen; Sicherer, Scott

    2016-06-01

    Studies suggest that food allergies have increased in prevalence, resulting in most school classrooms having more than one child affected. Children with food allergies are vulnerable for experiencing potentially life-threatening allergic reactions, as well as social consequences such as bullying. Management recommendations for food allergies in schools should incorporate knowledge of both issues. Current recommendations for food allergy management in schools focus on appropriate avoidance measures and prompt recognition and treatment of allergic reactions. Guidelines focus upon a school-wide approach, with comprehensive involvement of many stakeholders, but individual students require specific emergency action plans. Special risk groups include young children who need additional supervision and adolescents who may take risks. Based on the observation that anaphylaxis can occur in persons without a prior diagnosis, having epinephrine available for prompt first-aid management of any student in need is now recommended. To promote socialization, avoidance measures should minimize separation of children with food allergies from their peers. Parents and schools need to be aware of bullying and implement intervention and prevention measures. Management recommendations for food allergies in schools should ensure the safety of the child, address bullying, and avoid unnecessary isolation.

  3. Geographical differences in food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartra, Joan; García-Moral, Alba; Enrique, Ernesto

    2016-06-01

    Food allergy represents a health problem worldwide and leads to life-threatening reactions and even impairs quality of life. Epidemiological data during the past decades is very heterogeneous because of the use of different diagnostic procedures, and most studies have only been performed in specific geographical areas. The aim of this article is to review the available data on the geographical distribution of food allergies at the food source and molecular level and to link food allergy patterns to the aeroallergen influence in each area. Systematic reviews, meta-analysis, studies performed within the EuroPrevall Project and EAACI position papers regarding food allergy were analysed. The prevalence of food allergy sensitization differs between geographical areas, probably as a consequence of differences among populations, their habits and the influence of the cross-reactivity of aeroallergens and other sources of allergens. Geographical differences in food allergy are clearly evident at the allergenic molecular level, which seems to be directly influenced by the aeroallergens of each region and associated with specific clinical patterns.

  4. Diagnosis of Food Allergy Based on Oral Food Challenge Test

    OpenAIRE

    Komei Ito; Atsuo Urisu

    2009-01-01

    Diagnosis of food allergy should be based on the observation of allergic symptoms after intake of the suspected food. The oral food challenge test (OFC) is the most reliable clinical procedure for diagnosing food allergy. The OFC is also applied for the diagnosis of tolerance of food allergy. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology issued the 'Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Oral Food Challenge Test in Food Allergy 2009' in April 2009, to provide information on a sa...

  5. Comparing immediate-type food allergy in humans and companion animals-revealing unmet needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pali-Schöll, I; De Lucia, M; Jackson, H; Janda, J; Mueller, R S; Jensen-Jarolim, E

    2017-11-01

    Adverse food reactions occur in human as well as veterinary patients. Systematic comparison may lead to improved recommendations for prevention and treatment in both. In this position paper, we summarize the current knowledge on immediate-type food allergy vs other food adverse reactions in companion animals, and compare this to the human situation. While the prevalence of food allergy in humans has been well studied for some allergens, this remains to be investigated for animal patients, where owner-reported as well as veterinarian-diagnosed food adverse reactions are on the increase. The characteristics of the disease in humans vs dogs, cats, and horses are most often caused by similar, but sometimes species-dependent different pathophysiological mechanisms, prompting the specific clinical symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments. Furthermore, little is known about the allergen molecules causative for type I food allergy in animals, which, like in human patients, could represent predictive biomarkers for risk evaluation. The definite diagnosis of food allergy relies-as in humans-on elimination diet and provocation tests. Besides allergen avoidance in daily practice, novel treatment options and tolerization strategies are underway. Taken together, numerous knowledge gaps were identified in veterinary food allergy, which need to be filled by systematic comparative studies. © 2017 The Authors. Allergy Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. The impact of plant biotechnology on food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herman, Eliot M; Burks, A Wesley

    2011-04-01

    Concerns about food allergy and its societal growth are intertwined with the growing advances in plant biotechnology. The knowledge of plant genes and protein structures provides the key foundation to understanding biochemical processes that produce food allergy. Biotechnology offers the prospect of producing low-allergen or allergen null plants that could mitigate the allergic response. Modified low-IgE binding variants of allergens could be used as a vaccine to build immunotolerance in sensitive individuals. The potential to introduce new allergens into the food supply by biotechnology products is a regulatory concern. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Severe forms of food allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emanuel Sarinho

    Full Text Available Abstract Objectives: To guide the diagnostic and therapeutic management of severe forms of food allergy. Data sources: Search in the Medline database using the terms “severe food allergy,” “anaphylaxis and food allergy,” “generalized urticaria and food allergy,” and “food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome” in the last ten years, searching in the title, abstract, or keyword fields. Summary of data: Food allergy can be serious and life-threatening. Milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, walnuts, wheat, sesame seeds, shrimp, fish, and fruit can precipitate allergic emergencies. The severity of reactions will depend on associated cofactors such as age, drug use at the onset of the reaction, history and persistence of asthma and/or severe allergic rhinitis, history of previous anaphylaxis, exercise, and associated diseases. For generalized urticaria and anaphylaxis, intramuscular epinephrine is the first and fundamental treatment line. For the treatment in acute phase of food-induced enterocolitis syndrome in the emergency setting, prompt hydroelectrolytic replacement, administration of methylprednisolone and ondansetron IV are necessary. It is important to recommend to the patient with food allergy to maintain the exclusion diet, seek specialized follow-up and, in those who have anaphylaxis, to emphasize the need to carry epinephrine. Conclusion: Severe food allergy may occur in the form of anaphylaxis and food-protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, which are increasingly observed in the pediatric emergency room; hence, pediatricians must be alert so they can provide the immediate diagnosis and treatment.

  8. Severe forms of food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarinho, Emanuel; Lins, Maria das Graças Moura

    To guide the diagnostic and therapeutic management of severe forms of food allergy. Search in the Medline database using the terms "severe food allergy," "anaphylaxis and food allergy," "generalized urticaria and food allergy," and "food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome" in the last ten years, searching in the title, abstract, or keyword fields. Food allergy can be serious and life-threatening. Milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, walnuts, wheat, sesame seeds, shrimp, fish, and fruit can precipitate allergic emergencies. The severity of reactions will depend on associated cofactors such as age, drug use at the onset of the reaction, history and persistence of asthma and/or severe allergic rhinitis, history of previous anaphylaxis, exercise, and associated diseases. For generalized urticaria and anaphylaxis, intramuscular epinephrine is the first and fundamental treatment line. For the treatment in acute phase of food-induced enterocolitis syndrome in the emergency setting, prompt hydroelectrolytic replacement, administration of methylprednisolone and ondansetron IV are necessary. It is important to recommend to the patient with food allergy to maintain the exclusion diet, seek specialized follow-up and, in those who have anaphylaxis, to emphasize the need to carry epinephrine. Severe food allergy may occur in the form of anaphylaxis and food-protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, which are increasingly observed in the pediatric emergency room; hence, pediatricians must be alert so they can provide the immediate diagnosis and treatment. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  9. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines : Food allergy health-related quality of life measures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muraro, A.; Dubois, Anthony; DunnGalvin, A.; Hourihane, J. O'B.; de Jong, N. W.; Meyer, R.; Panesar, S. S.; Roberts, G.; Salvilla, S.; Sheikh, A.; Worth, A.; Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.

    Instruments have been developed and validated for the measurement of health-related quality of life in patients with food allergy. This guideline has been prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology's (EAACI) Guidelines for Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Group. It draws on a

  10. Food Allergy Sensitization and Presentation in Siblings of Food Allergic Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Ruchi S; Walkner, Madeline M; Greenhawt, Matthew; Lau, Claudia H; Caruso, Deanna; Wang, Xiaobin; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Smith, Bridget

    2016-01-01

    Many parents of food allergic children have concerns about the development of food allergies in their other children. We sought to determine prevalence of food sensitization and clinical food allergy among siblings of food allergic children. Two thousand eight hundred and thirty-four children were enrolled in the Chicago Family Cohort Food Allergy study. One thousand one hundred and twenty children (ages 0-21 years) with a food allergy (defined by a reported reaction history and evidence of food-specific IgE or skin prick test) and at least 1 biological sibling were included in this study. Among siblings of children with food allergy, 33.4% had no sensitization and no clinical symptoms to food. Fifty-three percent had a positive food serum-specific IgE or skin prick test, but no reported symptoms of food allergy. Only 13.6% of siblings were both sensitized and clinically reactive to the same food. Milk allergy was the most common allergy among siblings (5.9%), followed by egg allergy (4.4%) and peanut allergy (3.7%). In a large cohort of food allergic families, only a small proportion of siblings were both sensitized and clinically reactive to a food. Sensitization without reactivity was common among siblings. Testing for food allergy in siblings without a history of clinical reactivity appears to be unjustified. Screening may lead to negative consequences related to potential misdiagnosis and unnecessary avoidance of a food. More data are needed to determine the absolute risk of food allergy development in siblings of food allergic children. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. All rights reserved.

  11. Prevalence of food allergies in South Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arakali, Schweta R; Green, Todd D; Dinakar, Chitra

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the published medical literature on the prevalence and types of food allergies in South Asia. A PubMed search was performed using the keywords India and food allergy, Asia and food allergy, and South Asia and food allergy for any period. Articles cited in selected studies were reviewed for their appropriateness of inclusion into this review. Publications were included that were original research and fit the topic of food allergy and South Asia. South Asia is defined as region inclusive of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. A total of 169 articles were initially identified, and 47 were reviewed in detail for inclusion in this review. The primary focus was placed on 10 studies that consisted of case reports of newly reported or documented food allergy, survey studies that investigated food allergy prevalence in specific demographics, and prospective and cross-sectional studies with case controls, all of which investigated food allergy prevalence by allergy testing in a selected population. The medical literature on the prevalence and types of food allergy in South Asia indicates that there is a variety of unusual and unique allergens and an overall low incidence of food allergy. There is also an association of increased food allergy prevalence in individuals who live in metropolitan regions or who migrate to communities that have adopted westernization. Copyright © 2016 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Facts and Statistics about Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and Statistics with References What Is a Food Allergy? A food allergy is a medical condition in ... an emerging concern. How Many People Have Food Allergies? Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans ...

  13. Asthma and Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Español Text Size Email Print Share Asthma and Food Allergies Page Content Article Body A family history of ... child may develop asthma . Children with asthma and food allergies are at increased risk for anaphylaxis, a severe ...

  14. [Protocols Related to Food Allergies and Intolerances in Preschools in Reykjavik, Iceland].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thrastardottir, Adalheidur Ran; Thordardottir, Frida Run; Torfadottir, Johanna

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the study was to explore prevalence of food allergies and intolerances among children in preschools in Reykjavik, Iceland. Also, to investigate how well preschools maintain a safe environment for children with food allergies. In 2014, a questionnaire designed specifically for this study, was sent to 65 preschools. Forty-nine participated (75%) representing a total of 4225 children. Prevalence of food allergy and intolerance was determined based on medical certificates from physi-cians delivered to the preschools. Descriptive statistics were used to assess whether there were protocols related to food allergy, and if there was a difference between schools based on staff's education and number of children. The prevalence of documented food allergies/intolerances in children aged 2-6 years was 5%, 1% had severe allergy and 1% had multiple food allergies. Lactose intolerance was most frequent (2%), then milk allergy (2%) and egg allergy (1%). Only 41% preschools had a protocol that was activated if food with an allergen was accidentally given. Moreover, only 55% of preschools with children with severe -allergy reported all of their staff to have knowledge of symptoms related to anaphylaxis and only 64% were trained to respond to an anaphylactic shock. The education of preschool principals, kitchen employees and number of children in preschool were not related to having an active protocol at site. Prevalence of food allergy and intolerance was 5% in preschools in Reykjavik. Strategy for an active protocol related to food allergy was lacking in 59% of pre-schools.

  15. Food Allergy 101 | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... issue contents Food Allergy 101 Follow us Food Allergy 101 What is a food allergy? In a person with a food allergy, the ... be life-threatening. What foods commonly cause an allergy? Foods that often cause allergic reactions in adults ...

  16. Chemicals in food and allergy: fact and fiction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard

    1997-01-01

    be able ta change the balance from tolerance to IgE production; and (iv) they may trigger non-allergic intolerance reactions. With the present knowledge of chemicals in foods, the human exposure to these chemicals, and the described trends in this exposure, there is no supportive evidence confirming......The prevalence of the atopic diseases asthma, rhinitis and atopic eczema has increased in the past two to three decades. It is not unusual to read the statement that food additives and other chemicals in food increase the risk of allergy. From a theoretical standpoint chemicals in the diet may...... influence allergic sensitization and elicitation in different ways: (i) they may directly cause allergy because they are allergens or haptens; (ii) they may act as adjuvants facilitating allergy to other (dietary) components; (iii) they may modulate the immune system by direct immunotoxicity and in theory...

  17. Differentiating food allergies from food intolerances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guandalini, Stefano; Newland, Catherine

    2011-10-01

    Adverse reactions to foods are extremely common, and generally they are attributed to allergy. However, clinical manifestations of various degrees of severity related to ingestion of foods can arise as a result of a number of disorders, only some of which can be defined as allergic, implying an immune mechanism. Recent epidemiological data in North America showed that the prevalence of food allergy in children has increased. The most common food allergens in the United States include egg, milk, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, crustacean shellfish, and soy. This review examines the various forms of food intolerances (immunoglobulin E [IgE] and non-IgE mediated), including celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Immune mediated reactions can be either IgE mediated or non-IgE mediated. Among the first group, Immediate GI hypersensitivity and oral allergy syndrome are the best described. Often, but not always, IgE-mediated food allergies are entities such as eosinophilic esophagitis and eosinophilic gastroenteropathy. Non IgE-mediated immune mediated food reactions include celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, two increasingly recognized disorders. Finally, non-immune mediated reactions encompass different categories such as disorders of digestion and absorption, inborn errors of metabolism, as well as pharmacological and toxic reactions.

  18. Food Allergies and the UK Catering Industry: A Study of the Training Needs for the Industry to Serve Those with Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratten, John; Towers, Neil

    2004-01-01

    This study looks at the ability of retail food outlets to provide suitable meals for those with special dietary needs. Thus, some food allergies are described briefly and the personnel involved in food preparation and service are examined. Groups of owners of catering outlets were interviewed to discover from them their knowledge of food allergies…

  19. Diagnosis of Food Allergy Based on Oral Food Challenge Test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Komei Ito

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Diagnosis of food allergy should be based on the observation of allergic symptoms after intake of the suspected food. The oral food challenge test (OFC is the most reliable clinical procedure for diagnosing food allergy. The OFC is also applied for the diagnosis of tolerance of food allergy. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology issued the 'Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Oral Food Challenge Test in Food Allergy 2009' in April 2009, to provide information on a safe and standardized method for administering the OFC. This review focuses on the clinical applications and procedure for the OFC, based on the Japanese OFC guideline.

  20. Gastrointestinal food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heine, Ralf G

    2015-01-01

    Gastrointestinal food allergies present during early childhood with a diverse range of symptoms. Cow's milk, soy and wheat are the three most common gastrointestinal food allergens. Several clinical syndromes have been described, including food protein-induced enteropathy, proctocolitis and enterocolitis. In contrast with immediate, IgE-mediated food allergies, the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms is delayed for at least 1-2 hours after ingestion in non-IgE-mediated allergic disorders. The pathophysiology of these non-IgE-mediated allergic disorders is poorly understood, and useful in vitro markers are lacking. The results of the skin prick test or measurement of the food-specific serum IgE level is generally negative, although low-positive results may occur. Diagnosis therefore relies on the recognition of a particular clinical phenotype as well as the demonstration of clear clinical improvement after food allergen elimination and the re-emergence of symptoms upon challenge. There is a significant clinical overlap between non-IgE-mediated food allergy and several common paediatric gastroenterological conditions, which may lead to diagnostic confusion. The treatment of gastrointestinal food allergies requires the strict elimination of offending food allergens until tolerance has developed. In breast-fed infants, a maternal elimination diet is often sufficient to control symptoms. In formula-fed infants, treatment usually involves the use an extensively hydrolysed or amino acid-based formula. Apart from the use of hypoallergenic formulae, the solid diets of these children also need to be kept free of specific food allergens, as clinically indicated. The nutritional progress of infants and young children should be carefully monitored, and they should undergo ongoing, regular food protein elimination reassessments by cautious food challenges to monitor for possible tolerance development. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Primary Prevention of Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenhawt, Matthew J; Fleischer, David M

    2017-04-01

    Food allergy is estimated to affect approximately 8% of children in the USA. This is a disease without any known treatment or cure and, for some, a disease that can be quite severe, even life-threatening. While recent advances in potential treatment have made remarkable strides, with two food-targeted immunotherapy products now in phase III trials, perhaps the biggest gains in the field have come in the advent of potential preventative strategies to avoid the development of food allergy in high-risk individuals. There have been multiple, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) performed in the past 5 years that have demonstrated significant risk reduction from early allergen introduction. These include two trials for early peanut introduction and five trials for early egg introduction in the first year of life. The results indicate that primary prevention of food allergy through early allergen introduction may represent a strategy that could potentially avert tens of thousands of children from becoming food allergic. In support of the data for peanut, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recently sponsored an addendum to the 2010 food allergy guidelines, specifically recommending peanut be introduced in both high- and standard-risk infants to reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy. To date, no formal recommendations have been made for egg, however. This review will focus on the latest evidence supporting early introduction as a strategy to prevent food allergy, as well as on practical aspects for its successful implementation.

  2. Clinical spectrum of food allergies: a comprehensive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Marco H-K; Wong, Wilfred H-S; Chang, Christopher

    2014-06-01

    Food allergy is defined as an adverse immune response towards food proteins or as a form of a food intolerance associated with a hypersensitive immune response. It should also be reproducible by a double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge. Many reported that food reactions are not allergic but are intolerances. Food allergy often presents to clinicians as a symptom complex. This review focuses on the clinical spectrum and manifestations of various forms of food allergies. According to clinical presentations and allergy testing, there are three types of food allergy: IgE mediated, mixed (IgE/Non-IgE), and non-IgE mediated (cellular, delayed type hypersensitivity). Recent advances in food allergy in early childhood have highlighted increasing recognition of a spectrum of delayed-onset non-IgE-mediated manifestation of food allergy. Common presentations of food allergy in infancy including atopic eczema, infantile colic, and gastroesophageal reflux. These clinical observations are frequently associated with food hypersensitivity and respond to dietary elimination. Non-IgE-mediated food allergy includes a wide range of diseases, from atopic dermatitis to food protein-induced enterocolitis and from eosinophilic esophagitis to celiac disease. The most common food allergies in children include milk, egg, soy, wheat, peanut, treenut, fish, and shellfish. Milk and egg allergies are usually outgrown, but peanut and treenut allergy tends to persist. The prevalence of food allergy in infancy is increasing and may affect up to 15-20 % of infants. The alarming rate of increase calls for a public health approach in the prevention and treatment of food allergy in children.

  3. Communicating with Parents about Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Belinda

    2008-01-01

    About 3 million children in the United States have food allergies. Each year violent reactions to food kill almost 150 people. For teachers dealing with the food allergies of young children these can be frightening statistics. To keep students safe, they must familiarize themselves with food allergy facts so they can communicate openly and often…

  4. Diagnosis of food allergies: the impact of oral food challenge testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Komei

    2013-01-01

    A diagnosis of food allergies should be made based on the observation of allergic symptoms following the intake of suspected foods and the presence of allergen-specific IgE antibodies. The oral food challenge (OFC) test is the most reliable clinical procedure for diagnosing food allergies. Specific IgE testing of allergen components as well as classical crude allergen extracts helps to make a more specific diagnosis of food allergies. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology issued the 'Japanese Pediatric Guideline for Food Allergy 2012' to provide information regarding the standardized diagnosis and management of food allergies. This review summarizes recent progress in the diagnosis of food allergies, focusing on the use of specific IgE tests and the OFC procedure in accordance with the Japanese guidelines.

  5. GASTROINTESTINAL FOOD ALLERGY IN CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svetlana G. Makarova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence  of food allergies. Pathological conditions associated  with a food intolerance are becoming an increasingly urgent problem of pediatrics. According to different researchers, allergic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract occurs in 25–50% of patients with such common pathology as an allergy to cow's milk proteins. The severity of diseases  associated  with food allergies and their prognosis  depend largely on early diagnosis and adequate treatment. Difficulties and errors  in the diagnosis  of gastrointestinal  food allergies  are associated  with both subjective  and objective  reasons,  primarily due to the fact that gastrointestinal  reactions to food are often delayed and non-IgE-mediated. The article describes clinical forms of gastrointestinal food allergy according to the existing classification. Diagnostic algorithms and modern approaches  to differential diagnosis of disease based on evidence-based  medicine and corresponding to international consensus papers are given.

  6. Stress and food allergy: mechanistic considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schreier, Hannah M C; Wright, Rosalind J

    2014-04-01

    Recent years have seen a marked increase in food allergy prevalence among children, particularly in Western countries, that cannot be explained by genetic factors alone. This has resulted in an increased effort to identify environmental risk factors underlying food allergies and to understand how these factors may be modified through interventions. Food allergy is an immune-mediated adverse reaction to food. Consequently, considerations of candidate risk factors have begun to focus on environmental influences that perturb the healthy development of the emerging immune system during critical periods of development (eg, prenatally and during early childhood), particularly in the gut. Given that psychosocial stress is known to play an important role in other allergic and inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, its potential role in food allergy is a growing area of research. However, research to date has largely focused on animal studies. This review synthesizes relevant animal research and epidemiological data, providing proof of concept for moderating influences of psychological stress on food allergy outcomes in humans. Pathways that may underlie associations between psychosocial stress and the expression of food allergy are discussed. Copyright © 2014 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Food allergy: opportunities and challenges in the clinical practice of allergy and immunology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, John M

    2004-10-01

    Food allergy offers numerous opportunities and challenges for the allergy and clinical immunology specialist. Physicians with board certification in allergy and clinical immunology should be the main source of reliable clinical information to educate patients with food-related disorders. There has been a wealth of reliable information published related to food allergy that can be utilized by health care providers in clinical practice. This includes information about the cross-reactivity of food allergens, the evaluation of potential new therapies, and the practical application of new diagnostic methods and management strategies. This article addresses some of the new developments in food allergy, with an emphasis on cross-reactvity of food allergens, recombinant food allergens, and potential future therapies for food allergy.

  8. Development of an Educational Packet for Persons with Life-Threatening Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Bradley F.; Teuber, Suzanne; Bruhn, Christine M.

    2009-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that those with severe food allergies have significant gaps in knowledge about their disease and how to prevent recurrences. The purpose of this study was to address these deficiencies by creating and testing an educational packet, "Coping with Food Allergies." Participants included 46 of 58 adults with documented…

  9. Understanding Food Allergy | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... contents Understanding Food Allergy Follow us Understanding Food Allergy Latest Updates from NIH Food allergies are often ... to diagnose, prevent, and treat the disease.” Food allergy studies With so many unanswered questions surrounding food ...

  10. Precision medicine in allergic disease-food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis-PRACTALL document of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muraro, A; Lemanske, R F; Castells, M; Torres, M J; Khan, D; Simon, H-U; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Burks, W; Poulsen, L K; Sampson, H A; Worm, M; Nadeau, K C

    2017-07-01

    This consensus document summarizes the current knowledge on the potential for precision medicine in food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is a joint effort of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, which aims to synchronize the European and American approaches to allergy care. Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment based on disease endotypes, which are phenotypic subclasses associated with specific mechanisms underlying the disease. Although significant progress has been made in defining endotypes for asthma, definitions of endotypes for food and drug allergy or for anaphylaxis lag behind. Progress has been made in discovery of biomarkers to guide a precision medicine approach to treatment of food and drug allergy, but further validation and quantification of these biomarkers are needed to allow their translation into practice in the clinical management of allergic disease. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyce, Joshua A.; Assa'ad, Amal; Burks, A. Wesley; Jones, Stacie M.; Sampson, Hugh A.; Wood, Robert A.; Plaut, Marshall; Cooper, Susan F.; Fenton, Matthew J.; Arshad, S. Hasan; Bahna, Sami L.; Beck, Lisa A.; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Camargo, Carlos A.; Eichenfield, Lawrence; Furuta, Glenn T.; Hanifin, Jon M.; Jones, Carol; Kraft, Monica; Levy, Bruce D.; Lieberman, Phil; Luccioli, Stefano; McCall, Kathleen M.; Schneider, Lynda C.; Simon, Ronald A.; Simons, F. Estelle R.; Teach, Stephen J.; Yawn, Barbara P.; Schwaninger, Julie M.

    2014-01-01

    Food allergy is an important public health problem that affects children and adults and may be increasing in prevalence. Despite the risk of severe allergic reactions and even death, there is no current treatment for food allergy: the disease can only be managed by allergen avoidance or treatment of symptoms. The diagnosis and management of food allergy also may vary from one clinical practice setting to another. Finally, because patients frequently confuse nonallergic food reactions, such as food intolerance, with food allergies, there is an unfounded belief among the public that food allergy prevalence is higher than it truly is. In response to these concerns, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, working with 34 professional organizations, federal agencies, and patient advocacy groups, led the development of clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy. These Guidelines are intended for use by a wide variety of health care professionals, including family practice physicians, clinical specialists, and nurse practitioners. The Guidelines include a consensus definition for food allergy, discuss comorbid conditions often associated with food allergy, and focus on both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated reactions to food. Topics addressed include the epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis, and management of food allergy, as well as the management of severe symptoms and anaphylaxis. These Guidelines provide 43 concise clinical recommendations and additional guidance on points of current controversy in patient management. They also identify gaps in the current scientific knowledge to be addressed through future research. PMID:21134576

  12. Common methodologies in the evaluation of food allergy: pitfalls and prospects of food allergy prevalence studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Shang-an; Chang, Christopher; Leung, Patrick S C

    2014-06-01

    Global and regional studies on the prevalence of food allergies are plagued by inconsistent methodologies, variations in interpretation of results, and non-standardized study design. Hence, it becomes difficult to compare the prevalence of food allergies in different communities. This information would be useful in providing critical data that will enhance research to elucidate the nature of food allergies, and the role of gene-environment interactions in the sensitization of children and adults to foods. Testing methodologies range from questionnaires to objective in vitro and in vivo testing, to the gold standard, double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). Although considered the most accurate and reliable method in detecting the prevalence of food allergy, DBPCFC is not always practical in epidemiological studies of food allergy. On the other hand, multiple logistic regression studies have been done to determine predictability of the outcome of food challenges, and it appears that skin prick testing and in vitro-specific serum IgE are the best predictors. Future studies directed towards confirming the validity of these methods as well as developing algorithms to predict the food challenge outcomes are required, as they may someday become accessory tools to complement DBPCFC.

  13. Food allergy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Maleki, Soheila J; Burks, A. Wesley; Helm, Ricki M

    2006-01-01

    ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2. Exploring Current and Novel Methods for the Detection and Diagnosis of Food Allergy: the Clinical Approach * Adriano Mari and Enrico Scala...

  14. Getting the Facts on Food Allergy Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Getting the Facts on Food Allergy Testing This article has been reviewed by Thanai Pongdee, MD, FAAAAI If you have ever experienced red, itchy skin, swell- ... food, you may wonder if you have a food allergy. While diagnosing food allergies can be tricky, an ...

  15. Stress and food allergy: mechanistic considerations

    OpenAIRE

    Schreier, Hannah M.C.; Wright, Rosalind J.

    2013-01-01

    Recent years have seen a marked increase in food allergy prevalence among children, particularly in Western countries, that cannot be explained by genetic factors alone. This has resulted in an increased effort to identify environmental risk factors underlying food allergies and to understand how these factors may be modified through interventions. Food allergy is an immune-mediated adverse reaction to food. Consequently, considerations of candidate risk factors have begun to focus on environ...

  16. Developmental trajectories in food allergy: a review.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    DunnGalvin, A

    2009-01-01

    Increasing recognition of the importance of the relationships between perceptions, emotions, behaviors and health has changed the way health and disease are portrayed and researched. A chronic condition may affect and\\/or interact with already existing normative demands and changes in socialization. Although the prevalence of food allergy and anaphylaxis have been reportedly increasing, the emotional and social impact of growing up with food allergy has received little emphasis. In this paper, we present current findings on the biopsychosocial impact of food allergy on children in order to gain insight into the food allergy experience, from the perspective of the child, teen, and parent living with food allergy, with particular attention to developmental aspects. Due to the scarcity of publications on the psychosocial dimensions of food allergy, we also draw on selected literature on children\\'s and parent\\'s experience of, and coping with chronic disease that may inform research into food allergy. To this end, we review some general developmental mechanisms that may underpin and explain normative age-graded shifts in patterns of coping across childhood and adolescence. We also highlight gaps in the literature and assess implications of current research in food allergy and other chronic diseases for intervention and prevention of negative short and long term outcomes.

  17. Reducing food allergy: is there promise for food applications?

    Science.gov (United States)

    The incidence of food allergy has been increasing in recent years. Food allergy can be deadly, and strict avoidance of foods containing allergenic proteins is the only effective way to prevent food-induced allergic reaction. This approach poses challenges, because allergens are not always accurately...

  18. Managing food allergies in schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portnoy, Jay M; Shroba, Jodi

    2014-10-01

    Food allergies are estimated to affect as many as 8 % of children with 2.5 % being allergic to peanut products. Based on the results of recent surveys, this prevalence has been increasing over the last few decades for unknown reasons. As children with food allergies reach school age, the issue is becoming more common in schools. For that reason, schools are now required to be prepared to take responsibility for the safety of food-allergic students. This review discusses the common problems surrounding management of food allergies in the school setting along with reasonable recommendations for addressing those problems. The most important component of food allergy management is for the student to get an accurate diagnosis and to then discuss development of an anaphylaxis action plan with their health-care provider. Each school should insist that a copy of such a plan be provided for each student with food allergy and that epinephrine is readily available should a student have an anaphylactic reaction. In addition to epinephrine, it is essential that school personnel be properly trained to recognize and treat allergic reactions should they occur. Known deficiencies in school preparedness have been documented in previous literature, and consequently, both state and the federal government have begun to implement policies to help with school preparedness.

  19. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Administrators

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    This podcast highlights the importance of ensuring that comprehensive school plans are in place to manage food allergies. It also identifies some key actions school administrators can take to support students with food allergies, and highlights CDC food allergy resources for schools.

  20. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Superintendents

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    This podcast highlights the importance of ensuring that comprehensive school district plans are in place to manage food allergies. It also identifies some key actions school superintendents can take to support students with food allergies, and highlights CDC food allergy resources for schools.

  1. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muraro, A; Werfel, T; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K

    2014-01-01

    on previous EAACI position papers on adverse reaction to foods and three recent systematic reviews on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of food allergy, and provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of food allergy. While the primary audience is allergists......, this document is relevant for all other healthcare professionals, including primary care physicians, and pediatric and adult specialists, dieticians, pharmacists and paramedics. Our current understanding of the manifestations of food allergy, the role of diagnostic tests, and the effective management...... of patients of all ages with food allergy is presented. The acute management of non-life-threatening reactions is covered in these guidelines, but for guidance on the emergency management of anaphylaxis, readers are referred to the related EAACI Anaphylaxis Guidelines....

  2. Clinical Management of Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Benjamin L; Walkner, Madeline; Vickery, Brian P; Gupta, Ruchi S

    2015-12-01

    Food allergies have become a growing public health concern. At present the standard of care focuses on avoidance of trigger foods, education, and treatment of symptoms following accidental ingestions. This article provides a framework for primary care physicians and allergists for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of pediatric food allergy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The Prevalence and Natural History of Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kattan, Jacob

    2016-07-01

    Numerous studies have demonstrated that the prevalence of food allergy is increasing. Not only are more children being diagnosed with food allergies, but studies suggest that when people outgrow their food allergies, it is taking longer than was previously thought. Studies in recent years have noted factors that may lead to a lower likelihood of developing a food allergy, including the early introduction of common food allergens, having a sufficient vitamin D level, or having a higher maternal intake of peanut early in pregnancy. Given a recent report that sensitization to common food allergens did not increase from the late 1980s/early 1990s to the mid-2000s, further studies will need to examine if the rise in food allergy prevalence is due to a change in the relationship between sensitization and clinical allergy or changes in the recognition and diagnosis of food allergy.

  4. Insect (food) allergy and allergens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Gier, Steffie; Verhoeckx, Kitty

    2018-05-03

    Insects represent an alternative for meat and fish in satisfying the increasing demand for sustainable sources of nutrition. Approximately two billion people globally consume insects. They are particularly popular in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Most research on insect allergy has focussed on occupational or inhalation allergy. Research on insect food safety, including allergenicity, is therefore of great importance. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of cases reporting allergy following insect ingestion, studies on food allergy to insects, proteins involved in insect allergy including cross-reactive proteins, and the possibility to alter the allergenic potential of insects by food processing and digestion. Food allergy to insects has been described for silkworm, mealworm, caterpillars, Bruchus lentis, sago worm, locust, grasshopper, cicada, bee, Clanis bilineata, and the food additive carmine, which is derived from female Dactylopius coccus insects. For cockroaches, which are also edible insects, only studies on inhalation allergy have been described. Various insect allergens have been identified including tropomyosin and arginine kinase, which are both pan-allergens known for their cross-reactivity with homologous proteins in crustaceans and house dust mite. Cross-reactivity and/or co-sensitization of insect tropomyosin and arginine kinase has been demonstrated in house dust mite and seafood (e.g. prawn, shrimp) allergic patients. In addition, many other (allergenic) species (various non-edible insects, arachnids, mites, seafoods, mammals, nematoda, trematoda, plants, and fungi) have been identified with sequence alignment analysis to show potential cross-reactivity with allergens of edible insects. It was also shown that thermal processing and digestion did not eliminate insect protein allergenicity. Although purified natural allergens are scarce and yields are low, recombinant allergens from cockroach, silkworm, and Indian mealmoth are

  5. Food Allergy Information

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2008-01-01

    Developed the content of this website in collaboration with a group of leading allergy experts from the food industry, patient organisations, clinical centres, and research institutions in Europe. This has been undertaken as part of the EuroPrevall project coordinated by Clare Mills at the Instit......Developed the content of this website in collaboration with a group of leading allergy experts from the food industry, patient organisations, clinical centres, and research institutions in Europe. This has been undertaken as part of the EuroPrevall project coordinated by Clare Mills...

  6. Use of biologics in severe food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiocchi, Alessandro; Pecora, Valentina; Valluzzi, Rocco L; Fierro, Vincenzo; Mennini, Maurizio

    2017-06-01

    Severe cases of food allergy account for the majority of the burden in terms of risks, quality of life, and resource expenditure. The traditional approach to these forms has been strict avoidance. More recently, Oral ImmunoTherapy (OIT) has gained a role in their management. However, in severe food allergies OIT is often infeasible. Case reports, observational, and prospective studies have recently proposed different approaches to severe food allergy. The majority of them include the use of biologics. Omalizumab has been the most studied drug for severe food allergies, and its role as adjuvant treatment to OIT is well established. Interest has been raised on other biologics, as dupilumab, reslizumab, and mepolizumab. Toll-like receptor agonists, and gene therapy using adeno-associated virus coding for Omalizumab are promising alternatives. The recent studies are deeply influencing the clinical practice. We review the modifications of the clinical approach to severe food allergies so far available. We indicate the possible evolutions of treatment with biologics in severe food allergies.

  7. Oral tolerance induction for human food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noh, Geunwoong; Lee, Jae Ho

    2012-04-01

    Food allergies are classified as IgE-mediated and non-IgE mediated type. The number of successful reports of immunotherapy, namely tolerance induction for food allergy (TIFA) are increasing, bringing hope for meaningful positive and radical treatment of food allergy. Therapeutic characteristics of the clinical course in TIFA for NFA are different from TIFA for IFA. Cytokines including IL-10, TGF-β and IFN-γ and regulatory cells such as Treg and Breg, are involved in immune tolerance. IFN-γ has been used for tolerance induction of food allergy as an immunomodulatory biologics. A definitive distinction between IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated food allergies is absolutely essential for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Original SOTI using IFN-γ is more effective then conventional SOTI without IFN-γ. Especially, IFN-γ is absolutely necessary for the tolerance induction of NFA. This review highlights and updates the advances in the conceptual immunological background and the clinical characteristics of oral tolerance induction for food allergy.

  8. IgE mediated food allergy in Korean children: focused on plant food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Soo-Young

    2013-01-01

    Food allergy (FA) is a worldwide problem, with increasing prevalence in many countries, and it poses a clearly increasing health problem in Korea. In Korea, as a part of International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC), a series of nation-wide population studies for prevalence of allergic disease in children were carried out, with the Korean version of ISAAC in 1995, 2000, and 2010. From the survey, the twelve-month prevalence of FA showed no significant differences from 1995 to 2000 in both age groups (6-12 years-old, 6.5% in 1995 and 5.7% in 2000; 12-15 year-olds, 7.4% in 1995 and 8.6% in 2000). The mean lifetime prevalence of FA which had ever been diagnosed by medical doctor was 4.7% in 6-12 year-olds and 5.1% in 12-15 year-olds respectively in 2000. In Korean children, the major causes of FA are almost same as in other countries, although the order prevalence may vary, a prime example of which being that peanut and tree nut allergies are not prevalent, as in western countries. Both pediatric emergency department (ED) visits and deaths relating to food induced anaphylaxis have also increased in western countries. From a study which based on data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (KHIRA) from 2001 to 2007, the incidence of anaphylaxis under the age of 19 was 0.7-1 per 100,000 person-year, and foods (24.9%) were the most commonly identified cause of childhood anaphylaxis. In another epidemiologic study, involving 78889 patients aged 0-18 years who visited the EDs of 9 hospitals during June 2008 to Mar 2009, the incidence of food related anaphylaxis was 4.56 per 10,000 pediatric ED visits. From these studies, common causes of food related anaphylaxis were seafood, buckwheat, cow's milk, fruits, peanut and tree nuts. Although systematic epidemiologic studies have not reported on the matter, recently, plant foods related allergy has increased in Korean children. Among 804 children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis

  9. Food Allergy: What We Know Now.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Lindsey E; Stewart, Patricia H; deShazo, Richard D

    2017-04-01

    Food allergy is an adverse immune reaction that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food. Prevalence rates of food allergy continue to increase worldwide, sparking continual research efforts in finding a suitable and safe cure. Food avoidance, the current standard of care, can be difficult to achieve. This review aims to provide a broad overview of immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy, highlighting its epidemiology, masqueraders, immunopathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up and available preventative and treatment strategies. This review also discusses novel, investigative therapies that offer promising therapeutic options, yet require continued research efforts to determine safety effects. Inducing tolerance, whether by immunotherapy or by the administration of monoclonal antibodies, allows us to move toward a cure for food allergy, which could vastly change this field of allergic diseases in the coming decades. Copyright © 2017 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The Role of Personality in Daily Food Allergy Experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conner, Tamlin S; Mirosa, Miranda; Bremer, Phil; Peniamina, Rana

    2018-01-01

    Food allergies present numerous challenges to coping in everyday life. Even simple things like planning a lunch with a friend can be stressful for people with food allergies. But are some people more adversely impacted by having a food allergy than other people? This paper addressed this question by investigating whether individual differences in the Big Five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) are related to food allergy-related problems in everyday life among adults with food allergies. Participants were 108 adults (85% female; mean age = 40.2; age range 18-87) with a physician-diagnosed food allergy [most commonly to gluten (54.6%), peanuts (21.3%), cow's milk (16.7%), and shellfish/seafood (16.7%)]. Participants completed an initial online survey that measured demographics, food allergy information, and personality traits using the Big Five Inventory (John et al., 1991). For 2 weeks, participants completed a daily online survey that queried the occurrence of 25 food allergy issues that day and participants' overall stress and mood that day. Neuroticism did not predict more frequent allergy issues or greater stress/poorer mood on days with more allergy issues. Instead, higher openness to experience predicted a range of issues including going hungry because there is no safe food available, problems finding suitable foods when grocery shopping, feeling anxious at social occasions involving food, being excluded, and feeling embarrassed and poorly understood about their food allergy. Conscientious people were less embarrassed or self-conscious about their food allergy, but they had more problems eating out, and their positive mood was more impaired by allergy issues than their less conscientious peers. Extraversion and agreeableness played minor roles. Personality testing can identify people that may have difficulty living with food allergies-such as those higher in openness to experience.

  11. Coping with Food Allergies | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Food Allergies Coping with Food Allergies Past Issues / Spring 2011 Table of Contents Allergic ... timing and location of the reaction. How Food Allergies Develop Food allergies are more common in children ...

  12. Children's Food Allergies: Development of the Food Allergy Management and Adaptation Scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klinnert, Mary D; McQuaid, Elizabeth L; Fedele, David A; Faino, Anna; Strand, Matthew; Robinson, Jane; Atkins, Dan; Fleischer, David M; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B; Cohen, Sophia; Fransen, Hannah

    2015-07-01

    Develop a measure that evaluates effective pediatric food allergy (FA) management, child and parent FA anxiety, and integration of FA into family life. A semistructured family interview was developed to evaluate FA management using a pilot sample (n = 27). Rating scales evaluated eight dimensions of FA management (FAMComposite), child anxiety, parent anxiety, and overall balanced integration (BI). Families of children with IgE-mediated food allergies (n = 60, child age: 6-12) were recruited for interview and rating scale validation. FAMComposite was correlated with physician ratings for families' food avoidance and reaction response readiness. FA anxiety was correlated with general anxiety measures for children, but not parents. Parents' FA anxiety was correlated with expectations of negative outcomes from FA. Low BI was associated with poor quality of life and negative impact on family functioning. Preliminary analyses support Food Allergy Management and Adaptation Scale validity as a measure of family adaptation to pediatric FA. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. EAACI food allergy and anaphylaxis guidelines: managing patients with food allergy in the community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muraro, A; Agache, I; Clark, A; Sheikh, A; Roberts, G; Akdis, C A; Borrego, L M; Higgs, J; Hourihane, J O'B; Jorgensen, P; Mazon, A; Parmigiani, D; Said, M; Schnadt, S; van Os-Medendorp, H; Vlieg-Boerstra, B J; Wickman, M

    2014-08-01

    The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines, managing patients with food allergy (FA) in the community, intend to provide guidance to reduce the risk of accidental allergic reactions to foods in the community. This document is intended to meet the needs of early-childhood and school settings as well as providers of non-prepackaged food (e.g., restaurants, bakeries, takeaway, deli counters, and fast-food outlets) and targets the audience of individuals with FA, their families, patient organizations, the general public, policymakers, and allergists. Food allergy is the most common trigger of anaphylaxis in the community. Providing children and caregivers with comprehensive information on food allergen avoidance and prompt recognition and management of allergic reactions are of the utmost importance. Provision of adrenaline auto-injector devices and education on how and when to use these are essential components of a comprehensive management plan. Managing patients at risk of anaphylaxis raises many challenges, which are specific to the community. This includes the need to interact with third parties providing food (e.g., school teachers and restaurant staff) to avoid accidental exposure and to help individuals with FA to make safe and appropriate food choices. Education of individuals at risk and their families, their peers, school nurses and teachers as well as restaurant and other food retail staff can reduce the risk of severe/fatal reactions. Increased awareness among policymakers may improve decision-making on legislation at local and national level. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. The diagnosis and management of food allergies. Position paper of the Food Allergy Section the Polish Society of Allergology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartuzi, Zbigniew; Kaczmarski, Maciej; Czerwionka-Szaflarska, Mieczysława; Małaczyńska, Teresa; Krogulska, Aneta

    2017-10-01

    The paper concerns the current position of the Polish Society of Allergology Food Allergy Section on the diagnosis and management of food allergies. The aim of this position is to provide evidence-based recommendations on the diagnosis and management of patients with allergic hypersensitivity to foods. This position statement includes a systematic review of studies in three areas, namely, the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of food allergies. While taking into account the specific Polish setting, in this publication we also used the current European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) position paper and other current position statements, including those of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

  15. The diagnosis and management of food allergies. Position paper of the Food Allergy Section the Polish Society of Allergology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zbigniew Bartuzi

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper concerns the current position of the Polish Society of Allergology Food Allergy Section on the diagnosis and management of food allergies. The aim of this position is to provide evidence-based recommendations on the diagnosis and management of patients with allergic hypersensitivity to foods. This position statement includes a systematic review of studies in three areas, namely, the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of food allergies. While taking into account the specific Polish setting, in this publication we also used the current European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI position paper and other current position statements, including those of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID.

  16. The Role of Personality in Daily Food Allergy Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conner, Tamlin S.; Mirosa, Miranda; Bremer, Phil; Peniamina, Rana

    2018-01-01

    Food allergies present numerous challenges to coping in everyday life. Even simple things like planning a lunch with a friend can be stressful for people with food allergies. But are some people more adversely impacted by having a food allergy than other people? This paper addressed this question by investigating whether individual differences in the Big Five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) are related to food allergy-related problems in everyday life among adults with food allergies. Participants were 108 adults (85% female; mean age = 40.2; age range 18–87) with a physician-diagnosed food allergy [most commonly to gluten (54.6%), peanuts (21.3%), cow's milk (16.7%), and shellfish/seafood (16.7%)]. Participants completed an initial online survey that measured demographics, food allergy information, and personality traits using the Big Five Inventory (John et al., 1991). For 2 weeks, participants completed a daily online survey that queried the occurrence of 25 food allergy issues that day and participants' overall stress and mood that day. Neuroticism did not predict more frequent allergy issues or greater stress/poorer mood on days with more allergy issues. Instead, higher openness to experience predicted a range of issues including going hungry because there is no safe food available, problems finding suitable foods when grocery shopping, feeling anxious at social occasions involving food, being excluded, and feeling embarrassed and poorly understood about their food allergy. Conscientious people were less embarrassed or self-conscious about their food allergy, but they had more problems eating out, and their positive mood was more impaired by allergy issues than their less conscientious peers. Extraversion and agreeableness played minor roles. Personality testing can identify people that may have difficulty living with food allergies–such as those higher in openness to experience. PMID:29467686

  17. The Role of Personality in Daily Food Allergy Experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamlin S. Conner

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Food allergies present numerous challenges to coping in everyday life. Even simple things like planning a lunch with a friend can be stressful for people with food allergies. But are some people more adversely impacted by having a food allergy than other people? This paper addressed this question by investigating whether individual differences in the Big Five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are related to food allergy-related problems in everyday life among adults with food allergies. Participants were 108 adults (85% female; mean age = 40.2; age range 18–87 with a physician-diagnosed food allergy [most commonly to gluten (54.6%, peanuts (21.3%, cow's milk (16.7%, and shellfish/seafood (16.7%]. Participants completed an initial online survey that measured demographics, food allergy information, and personality traits using the Big Five Inventory (John et al., 1991. For 2 weeks, participants completed a daily online survey that queried the occurrence of 25 food allergy issues that day and participants' overall stress and mood that day. Neuroticism did not predict more frequent allergy issues or greater stress/poorer mood on days with more allergy issues. Instead, higher openness to experience predicted a range of issues including going hungry because there is no safe food available, problems finding suitable foods when grocery shopping, feeling anxious at social occasions involving food, being excluded, and feeling embarrassed and poorly understood about their food allergy. Conscientious people were less embarrassed or self-conscious about their food allergy, but they had more problems eating out, and their positive mood was more impaired by allergy issues than their less conscientious peers. Extraversion and agreeableness played minor roles. Personality testing can identify people that may have difficulty living with food allergies–such as those higher in openness to experience.

  18. Managing the Student with Severe Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Joanne M.; Ficca, Michelle

    2012-01-01

    School nurses play a key role in managing students with food allergies. It is becoming more common to encounter students with severe allergies to multiple foods, putting them at risk for anaphylaxis. It is essential that the school nurse have a clear understanding of food allergies and how to effectively manage students in the school setting.…

  19. Diagnosing food allergy in children, peanuts?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Erp, F.C. van

    2016-01-01

    Food allergy has a major impact on quality of life of children and their parents. Although food allergic patients usually do not experience daily symptoms, they are faced with dietary restrictions and the risk for a severe reaction every day. A correct diagnosis of food allergy is important to

  20. Food allergies (image)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... upon subsequent exposure to the substance. An actual food allergy, as opposed to simple intolerance due to the lack of digesting enzymes, is indicated by the production of antibodies to the food allergen, and by the release of histamines and ...

  1. Update on Early Nutrition and Food Allergy in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sun Eun; Kim, Hyeyoung

    2016-05-01

    With growing evidence of an increase in the prevalence, food allergy has been emerged as a new public health problem. As treatment and management of food allergy remain challenging, more attention has been paid to the importance of prevention of food allergy. Although the exact mechanism of recent epidemic is not fully understood, it is suggested that nutritional exposure in early life may play an important role in food allergy development. The underlying hypothesis is that nutritional status or food exposure in the critical period of fetal development can affect the programming of immune system and modify the risk of immunologic reactions to foods in postnatal life. We review accumulating epidemiological studies to examine an association between nutritional exposure during pregnancy or early infancy and food allergy development in children. We also discuss recent advances in the studies of the genetic and epigenetic regulation of food allergy and evaluate the role of early nutrition in food allergy development to provide a new perspective on the prevention of food allergy.

  2. Food Allergy and Attentional Coping in Adults

    OpenAIRE

    Gauchel, Jessica A.

    2017-01-01

    Food allergy affects approximately 9 million adults in the Unites States. The only medically approved treatment is avoidance of the allergenic food. Research has found food allergy to be associated with anxiety, depression, and lower quality of life, but has primarily focused on children. Little research has explored these associations in adults, and even less has examined the relationship between coping and food allergy in adults. Attentional coping is associated with ongoing symptom managem...

  3. Outstanding animal studies in allergy I. From asthma to food allergy and anaphylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen-Jarolim, Erika; Pali-Schöll, Isabella; Roth-Walter, Franziska

    2017-06-01

    Animal models published within the past 18 months on asthma, food allergy and anaphylaxis, all conditions of rising public health concern, were reviewed. While domestic animals spontaneously develop asthma, food allergy and anaphylaxis, in animal models, divergent sensitization and challenge routes, dosages, intervals and antigens are used to induce asthmatic, food allergic or anaphylactic phenotypes. This must be considered in the interpretation of results. Instead of model antigens, gradually relevant allergens such as house dust mite in asthma, and food allergens like peanut, apple and peach in food allergy research were used. Novel engineered mouse models such as a mouse with a T-cell receptor for house dust mite allergen Der p 1, or with transgenic human hFcγR genes, facilitated the investigation of single molecules of interest. Whole-body plethysmography has become a state-of-the-art in-vivo readout in asthma research. In food allergy and anaphylaxis research, novel techniques were developed allowing real-time monitoring of in-vivo effects following allergen challenge. Networks to share tissues were established as an effort to reduce animal experiments in allergy which cannot be replaced by in-vitro measures. Natural and artificial animal models were used to explore the pathophysiology of asthma, food allergy and anaphylaxis and to improve prophylactic and therapeutic measures. Especially the novel mouse models mimicking molecular aspects of the complex immune network in asthma, food allergy and anaphylaxis will facilitate proof-of-concept studies under controlled conditions.

  4. Food allergies in developing and emerging economies: need for comprehensive data on prevalence rates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boye Joyce Irene

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Although much is known today about the prevalence of food allergy in the developed world, there are serious knowledge gaps about the prevalence rates of food allergy in developing countries. Food allergy affects up to 6% of children and 4% of adults. Symptoms include urticaria, gastrointestinal distress, failure to thrive, anaphylaxis and even death. There are over 170 foods known to provoke allergic reactions. Of these, the most common foods responsible for inducing 90% of reported allergic reactions are peanuts, milk, eggs, wheat, nuts (e.g., hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, etc., soybeans, fish, crustaceans and shellfish. Current assumptions are that prevalence rates are lower in developing countries and emerging economies such as China, Brazil and India which raises questions about potential health impacts should the assumptions not be supported by evidence. As the health and social burden of food allergy can be significant, national and international efforts focusing on food security, food safety, food quality and dietary diversity need to pay special attention to the role of food allergy in order to avoid marginalization of sub-populations in the community. More importantly, as the major food sources used in international food aid programs are frequently priority allergens (e.g., peanut, milk, eggs, soybean, fish, wheat, and due to the similarities between food allergy and some malnutrition symptoms, it will be increasingly important to understand and assess the interplay between food allergy and nutrition in order to protect and identify appropriate sources of foods for sensitized sub-populations especially in economically disadvantaged countries and communities.

  5. Diet and nutritional status of children with food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flammarion, Sophie; Santos, Clarisse; Guimber, Dominique; Jouannic, Lyne; Thumerelle, Caroline; Gottrand, Frédéric; Deschildre, Antoine

    2011-03-01

    The aim of the present study was to assess the food intakes and nutritional status of children with food allergies following an elimination diet. We conducted a cross sectional study including 96 children (mean age 4.7 ± 2.5 years) with food allergies and 95 paired controls (mean age 4.7 ± 2.7 years) without food allergies. Nutritional status was assessed using measurements of weight and height and Z scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height. Nutrient intakes assessment was based on a 3-day diet record. Children with food allergies had weight-for-age and height-for-age Z scores lower than controls (0.1 versus 0.6 and 0.2 versus 0.8 respectively). Children with 3 or more food allergies were smaller than those with 2 or less food allergies (p = 0.04). A total of 62 children with food allergies and 52 controls completed usable diet records. Energy, protein and calcium intakes were similar in the two groups. Children with food allergies were smaller for their age than controls even when they received similar nutrient intakes. Nutritional evaluation is essential for the follow up of children with food allergies. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  6. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Administrators

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-15

    This podcast highlights the importance of ensuring that comprehensive school plans are in place to manage food allergies. It also identifies some key actions school administrators can take to support students with food allergies, and highlights CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/15/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/15/2015.

  7. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Superintendents

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-13

    This podcast highlights the importance of ensuring that comprehensive school district plans are in place to manage food allergies. It also identifies some key actions school superintendents can take to support students with food allergies, and highlights CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/13/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/20/2015.

  8. Towards a food-allergy-free world

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Houben, G.; Bilsen, J. van; Blom, M.; Kruizinga, A.; Verhoeckx, K.

    2016-01-01

    Food allergy is one of the most common health disorders in the western world. It affects about three per cent of the total population. Food allergy is potentially lethal, and its health impact is higher than that posed by all known chemicals and microbes in food. It is also higher than that of many

  9. Food allergies.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Leary, Paula F G

    2012-02-03

    Adverse reactions to foods are commonly implicated in the causation of ill health. However, foreign antigens, including food proteins and commensal microbes encountered in the gastrointestinal tract, are usually well tolerated. True food allergies, implying immune-mediated adverse responses to food antigens, do exist, however, and are especially common in infants and young children. Allergic reactions to food manifest clinically in a variety of presentations involving the gastrointestinal, cutaneous, and respiratory systems and in generalized reactions such as anaphylaxis. Both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated immune mechanisms are recognized. Important advances in the clinical features underlying specific food hypersensitivity disorders are reviewed.

  10. The stress of food allergy issues in daily life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peniamina, Rana L; Mirosa, Miranda; Bremer, Philip; Conner, Tamlin S

    2016-06-01

    Food allergies are a growing health concern, but their implications for daily psychological functioning are unknown. This micro-longitudinal study investigated the daily frequency of food allergy issues and how this related to experiences of stress, mood and physical energy. One hundred and eight adults with physician-diagnosed food allergies completed an initial Internet survey followed by a 2-week Internet daily diary survey. The initial survey collected socio-demographic and food allergy information. The daily survey collected information about the participants' experiences of stress, mood, physical energy and food allergy issues during that day. Commonly experienced allergy issues included negative physical symptoms, higher food prices, anxiety about safety of food, trouble maintaining a healthy diet and anxiety/stress at social occasions. Furthermore, multilevel modelling analyses showed that stress and negative mood were significantly higher on days with more allergy issues. Older adults experienced lower positive mood and physical energy on days with more issues. This is the first study to incorporate near to real-time tracking to examine the frequency of food allergy issues and the implications for daily psychological functioning. Targeting the issues we identified could reduce stress in patients with food allergies and improve their overall quality of life.

  11. Food allergy in schools: The importance of government involvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawlis, Tanya; Bakonyi, Sarah; Williams, Lauren T

    2017-02-01

    Children have the highest rates of food-related allergic reactions. While 85% of children outgrow allergies including cow's milk and eggs by five years of age, allergies to peanuts and seafood continue into adulthood. The school setting poses a high-risk environment for allergen exposure. The aim of the present study was to examine the availability, drivers and communication of school food allergy awareness and management policies/guidelines in one Australian education jurisdiction. A cross-sectional study comprising an online survey of principals on school allergy awareness (n = 100) was conducted in public, catholic and independent primary and high schools in an Australian education jurisdiction between August 2011 and November 2012. Sixty-three per cent (17/27) of schools responding to the survey reported using food allergy management guidelines. An average of 13 students per school were reported to have a food allergy with 93% of schools reported having students with at least one food allergy. Parents, not government policy, were identified as primary drivers of food allergy guideline implementation and a third of schools provided anaphylaxis training annually. Communication of food allergy management was limited with only 42 school websites either providing access to policies/guidelines or providing a food allergy statement. Detailed awareness and management guidelines are integral for schools to adequately manage food-induced allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in the school environment. To enable this, national government support through legislation and policy is needed to ensure a consistent, up-to-date and policed approach to food allergy management in the Australian education sector. © 2015 Dietitians Association of Australia.

  12. Clinical symptoms of food allergy/intolerance in children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halken, S

    1997-01-01

    Food allergy is principally a problem in infancy and early childhood. Food allergy/intolerance may cause a broad spectrum of symptoms and signs in children, including generalized reactions, such as anaphylactic shock. Reactions are localized mainly in the gastrointestinal tract, but food allergy....../intolerance may also cause local symptoms in other organs such as the skin and the respiratory tract. About 50-70% demonstrate cutaneous symptoms, 50-60% gastrointestinal symptoms, and 20-30% respiratory symptoms. Among young children with food allergy/intolerance the majority have two or more symptoms...... with symptoms occurring in two or more organ systems. The symptoms occur primarily within a few minutes after food exposure (immediate reactions), however delayed reactions in the skin, gastrointestinal tract and lungs may also occur. Among children with symptoms suggestive of food allergy...

  13. Food allergies developing after solid organ transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Needham, J M; Nicholas, S K; Davis, C M

    2015-12-01

    The development of food allergy is an increasingly recognized form of morbidity after solid organ transplant. It occurs more commonly in liver transplant recipients, although it has also been reported in heart, lung, kidney, and intestinal transplants. Pediatric transplant recipients are more likely to develop symptoms compared to adults, and reports of frequency vary widely from 5% to 38% in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed in the literature, although no single mechanism can yet account for all reported observations. As food allergy can have at worst potentially fatal consequences, and at best require lifestyle adjustment through food avoidance, it is important for recipients to be aware of the donor's food allergies and particularly in pediatrics, the possibility of completely de novo allergies. This review explores the recent reports surrounding food allergy after solid organ transplant, including epidemiology, proposed mechanisms, and implications for practice. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Primary care management of food allergy and food intolerance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garzon, Dawn Lee; Kempker, Tara; Piel, Pamela

    2011-12-16

    The incidence of food allergies is steadily increasing. Due to potentially life-threatening complications, it is important that primary care providers recognize and appropriately manage these disorders. This article includes a discussion of the current evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, screening, and management of food allergies.

  15. Prevention of food allergy - Early dietary interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du Toit, George; Foong, Ru-Xin M; Lack, Gideon

    2016-10-01

    The prevalence of food allergy has increased over the last 30 years and remains a disease, which significantly impacts on the quality of life of children and their families. Several hypotheses have been formulated to explain the increasing prevalence; this review will focus on the hypothesis that dietary factors may influence the development of food allergy. Historically, the prevention of food allergy has focused on allergen avoidance. However, recent findings from interventional studies have prompted a shift in the mind set from avoidance to early introduction of potentially allergenic foods. This review aims to facilitate a better understanding of contemporary research studies that make use of early introduction of common allergenic foods into infant diets as a preventative strategy against the development of food allergy. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Food allergy in Singapore: opening a new chapter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Alison Joanne; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi

    2014-01-01

    With the exception of shellfish, the overall food allergy rates in Singapore have not reached the epidemic proportions of the West. The rates of egg, milk and fish allergies remain low. However, the patterns of some food allergies in Singapore have changed over the last decade. For example, peanut allergy, once rare in Singapore, is now the most common cause of anaphylaxis in children. Studies analysing lifestyle practices, particularly with respect to prevention of food allergy, are necessary in order for practitioners to understand global differences and maintain this low prevalence. PMID:24862746

  17. Creation and validation of web-based food allergy audiovisual educational materials for caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, Jamie; Albin, Stephanie; Sicherer, Scott H

    2014-01-01

    Studies reveal deficits in caregivers' ability to prevent and treat food-allergic reactions with epinephrine and a consumer preference for validated educational materials in audiovisual formats. This study was designed to create brief, validated educational videos on food allergen avoidance and emergency management of anaphylaxis for caregivers of children with food allergy. The study used a stepwise iterative process including creation of a needs assessment survey consisting of 25 queries administered to caregivers and food allergy experts to identify curriculum content. Preliminary videos were drafted, reviewed, and revised based on knowledge and satisfaction surveys given to another cohort of caregivers and health care professionals. The final materials were tested for validation of their educational impact and user satisfaction using pre- and postknowledge tests and satisfaction surveys administered to a convenience sample of 50 caretakers who had not participated in the development stages. The needs assessment identified topics of importance including treatment of allergic reactions and food allergen avoidance. Caregivers in the final validation included mothers (76%), fathers (22%), and other caregivers (2%). Race/ethnicity were white (66%), black (12%), Asian (12%), Hispanic (8%), and other (2%). Knowledge tests (maximum score = 18) increased from a mean score of 12.4 preprogram to 16.7 postprogram (p audiovisual curriculum on food allergy improved knowledge scores and was well received.

  18. IgE - the main player of food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Broekman, Henrike C H; Eiwegger, Thomas; Upton, Julia

    2017-01-01

    Food allergy is a growing problem worldwide, presently affecting 2-4% of adults and 5-8% of young children. IgE is a key player in food allergy. Consequently huge efforts have been made to develop tests to detect either the presence of IgE molecules, their allergen binding sites...... or their functionality, in order to provide information regarding the patient's food allergy. The ultimate goal is to develop tools that are capable of discriminating between asymptomatic sensitization and a clinically relevant food allergy, and between different allergic phenotypes in an accurate and trustworthy manner...

  19. The prevalence of food allergy: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rona, Roberto J; Keil, Thomas; Summers, Colin; Gislason, David; Zuidmeer, Laurian; Sodergren, Eva; Sigurdardottir, Sigurveig T; Lindner, Titia; Goldhahn, Klaus; Dahlstrom, Jorgen; McBride, Doreen; Madsen, Charlotte

    2007-09-01

    There is uncertainty about the prevalence of food allergy in communities. To assess the prevalence of food allergy by performing a meta-analysis according to the method of assessment used. The foods assessed were cow's milk, hen's egg, peanut, fish, shellfish, and an overall estimate of food allergy. We summarized the information in 5 categories: self-reported symptoms, specific IgE positive, specific skin prick test positive, symptoms combined with sensitization, and food challenge studies. We systematically searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for publications since 1990. The meta-analysis included only original studies. They were stratified by age groups: infant/preschool, school children, and adults. A total of 934 articles were identified, but only 51 were considered appropriate for inclusion. The prevalence of self-reported food allergy was very high compared with objective measures. There was marked heterogeneity between studies regardless of type of assessment or food item considered, and in most analyses this persisted after age stratification. Self-reported prevalence of food allergy varied from 1.2% to 17% for milk, 0.2% to 7% for egg, 0% to 2% for peanuts and fish, 0% to 10% for shellfish, and 3% to 35% for any food. There is a marked heterogeneity in the prevalence of food allergy that could be a result of differences in study design or methodology, or differences between populations. We recommend that measurements be made by using standardized methods, if possible food challenge. We need to be cautious in estimates of prevalence based only on self-reported food allergy.

  20. Food Allergies: Being Aware and Planning for Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graville, Iris

    2010-01-01

    In recent years, parents and early childhood educators have become increasingly aware of food allergies in childhood. And since food allergies account for about 150 deaths a year, there is good reason to be concerned. The early childhood program can provide valuable learning for those without food allergies through explanations about why certain…

  1. Quality of life measures for food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    Food allergy has become an emerging health problem in Western societies. Although food allergy is characterized by a relatively low mortality and an almost continual absence of physical symptoms, food allergic patients are continually confronted with the possibility of potentially severe reactions

  2. Diagnosis, management, and investigational therapies for food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulis, Mike; Wright, Benjamin L; Jones, Stacie M; Burks, A Wesley

    2015-05-01

    Food allergies have increased in prevalence over the past 20 years, now becoming an important public health concern. Although there are no therapies currently available for routine clinical care, recent reports have indicated that immunotherapies targeting the mucosal immune system may be effective. Oral immunotherapy is conducted by administering small, increasing amounts of food allergen; it has shown promise for desensitizing individuals with peanut, egg, or milk allergies. Sublingual immunotherapy also desensitizes allergic patients to foods-2 major studies have examined the effects of sublingual immunotherapy in subjects with peanut allergies. We review the complex nature of IgE-mediated food allergies and the therapies being evaluated in clinical trials. We focus on the diagnosis and management of food allergies and investigational therapies. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Traveling with Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... on traveling and dining out at restaurants with food allergies. Travel Tips for the U.S. and Other Countries Get information about medications and food labeling practices in select countries. Spam Control Text: ...

  4. Early-life antibiotic use and subsequent diagnosis of food allergy and allergic diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirsch, A G; Pollak, J; Glass, T A; Poulsen, M N; Bailey-Davis, L; Mowery, J; Schwartz, B S

    2017-02-01

    Antibiotic use in early life has been linked to disruptions in the microbiome. Such changes can disturb immune system development. Differences have been observed in the microbiota of children with and without allergies, but there have been few studies on antibiotic use and allergic disease. We evaluated associations of early-life antibiotic use with subsequent occurrence of food allergy and other allergies in childhood using electronic health record data. We used longitudinal data on 30 060 children up to age 7 years from Geisinger Clinic's electronic health record to conduct a sex- and age-matched case-control study to evaluate the association between antibiotic use and milk allergy, non-milk food allergies, and other allergies. For each outcome, we estimated conditional logistic regression models adjusting for race/ethnicity, history of Medical Assistance, and mode of birth delivery. Models were repeated separately for penicillins, cephalosporins and macrolides. There were 484 milk allergy cases, 598 non-milk food allergy cases and 3652 other allergy cases. Children with three or more antibiotic orders had a greater odds of milk allergy (Odds Ratio; 95% Confidence interval) (1.78; 1.28-2.48), non-milk food allergy (1.65; 1.27-2.14), and other allergies (3.07; 2.72-3.46) compared with children with no antibiotic orders. Associations were strongest at younger ages and differed by antibiotic class. We observed associations between antibiotic orders and allergic diseases, providing evidence of a potentially modifiable clinical practice associated with paediatric allergic disease. Differences by antibiotic class should be further explored, as this knowledge could inform paediatric treatment decisions. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. [Immunological background and pathomechanisms of food allergies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schülke, Stefan; Scheurer, Stephan

    2016-06-01

    Recent advances in immunology have greatly improved our understanding of the pathomechanisms of food allergies. Food allergies are caused and maintained by complex interactions of the innate and adaptive immune system involving antigen-presenting cells (APC), T cells, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2), epithelial cells (EC) and effectors cells. Additionally, epigenetic factors, the intestinal microbiome and nutritional factors modulating the gastrointestinal lymphatic tissue probably have a significant impact on allergy development. However, why certain individuals develop tolerance while others mount allergic responses, the factors defining the allergenicity of food proteins, as well as the immunological mechanisms triggering allergy development have yet to be analyzed in detail.

  6. Deciphering the black box of food allergy mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampath, Vanitha; Tupa, Dana; Graham, Michelle Toft; Chatila, Talal A; Spergel, Jonathan M; Nadeau, Kari C

    2017-01-01

    To review our current understanding of immunotherapy, the immune mechanisms underlying food allergy, and the methodological advances that are furthering our understanding of the role of immune cells and other molecules in mediating food allergies. Literature searches were performed using the following combination of terms: allergy, immunotherapy, food, and mechanisms. Data from randomized clinical studies using state-of-the-art mechanistic tools were prioritized. Articles were selected based on their relevance to food allergy. Current standard of care for food allergies is avoidance of allergenic foods and the use of epinephrine in case of severe reaction during unintentional ingestion. During the last few decades, great strides have been made in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying food allergy, and this information is spearheading the development of exciting new treatments. Immunotherapy protocols are effective in desensitizing individuals to specific allergens; however, recurrence of allergic sensitization is common after discontinuation of therapy. Interestingly, in a subset of individuals, immunotherapy is protective against allergens even after discontinuation of immunotherapy. Whether this protection is permanent is currently unknown because of inadequate long-term follow-up data. Research on understanding the underlying mechanisms may assist in modifying protocols to improve outcome and enable sustained unresponsiveness, rather than a temporary relief against food allergies. The cellular changes brought about by immunotherapy are still a black box, but major strides in our understanding are being made at an exciting pace. Copyright © 2016 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Severe Allergic Reactions to Food in Norway: A Ten Year Survey of Cases Reported to the Food Allergy Register

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliann Egaas

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The Norwegian Food Allergy Register was established at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in 2000. The purpose of the register is to gain information about severe allergic reactions to food in Norway and to survey food products in relation to allergen labelling and contamination. Cases are reported on a voluntary basis by first line doctors, and submitted together with a serum sample for specific IgE analysis. The register has received a total of 877 reports from 1 July, 2000 to 31 December, 2010. Two age groups, small children and young adults are over-represented, and the overall gender distribution is 40:60 males-females. The legumes lupine and fenugreek have been identified as two “new” allergens in processed foods and cases of contamination and faults in production of processed foods have been revealed. The highest frequency of food specific IgE is to hazelnuts and peanuts, with a marked increase in reactions to hazelnuts during the last three years. The Food Allergy Register has improved our knowledge about causes and severity of food allergic reactions in Norway. The results show the usefulness of population based national food allergy registers in providing information for health authorities and to secure safe food for individuals with food allergies.

  8. Severe allergic reactions to food in Norway: a ten year survey of cases reported to the food allergy register.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namork, Ellen; Fæste, Christiane K; Stensby, Berit A; Egaas, Eliann; Løvik, Martinus

    2011-08-01

    The Norwegian Food Allergy Register was established at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in 2000. The purpose of the register is to gain information about severe allergic reactions to food in Norway and to survey food products in relation to allergen labelling and contamination. Cases are reported on a voluntary basis by first line doctors, and submitted together with a serum sample for specific IgE analysis. The register has received a total of 877 reports from 1 July, 2000 to 31 December, 2010. Two age groups, small children and young adults are over-represented, and the overall gender distribution is 40:60 males-females. The legumes lupine and fenugreek have been identified as two "new" allergens in processed foods and cases of contamination and faults in production of processed foods have been revealed. The highest frequency of food specific IgE is to hazelnuts and peanuts, with a marked increase in reactions to hazelnuts during the last three years. The Food Allergy Register has improved our knowledge about causes and severity of food allergic reactions in Norway. The results show the usefulness of population based national food allergy registers in providing information for health authorities and to secure safe food for individuals with food allergies.

  9. Active treatment for food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobernick, Aaron K; Burks, A Wesley

    2016-10-01

    Food allergy has grown in rapidly in prevalence, currently affecting 5% of adults and 8% of children. Management strategy is currently limited to 1) food avoidance and 2) carrying and using rescue intramuscular epinephrine/adrenaline and oral antihistamines in the case of accidental ingestion; there is no FDA approved treatment. Recently, oral, sublingual and epicutaneous immunotherapy have been developed as active treatment of food allergy, though none have completed phase 3 study. Efficacy and safety studies of immunotherapy have been variable, though there is clearly signal that immunotherapy will be a viable option to desensitize patients. The use of bacterial adjuvants, anti-IgE monoclonal antibodies, and Chinese herbal formulations either alone or in addition to immunotherapy may hold promise as future options for active treatment. Active prevention of food allergy through early introduction of potentially offending foods in high-risk infants will be an important means to slow the rising incidence of sensitization. Copyright © 2016 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Apheresis in food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahdah, Lamia; Leone, Giovanna; Artesani, Mariacristina; Riccardi, Carla; Mazzina, Oscar

    2017-06-01

    The prevalence of IgE-mediated food allergy and anaphylaxis has risen rapidly in developed countries, and countries with rapid industrialization may follow. Therapies include elimination diets, Oral ImmunoTherapy, and the administration of biologics, but high serum IgE levels may preclude their use. Consequently, decreasing IgE becomes a rational approach and could be obtained by immunoapheresis. The aim of this review is to evaluate the rationale and advantages of immunoapheresis. The majority of the available adsorbers remove aspecifically all classes of immunoglobulins. Recently, IgE-specific adsorbers have been approved. Data on immunoapheresis for the treatment of allergic diseases with pathologically elevated IgE levels are emerging. In atopic dermatitis, this therapy alone seems to be beneficial. IgE-selective apheresis appears to be sufficient to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis in multiple food allergy (MFA) and, when IgE titers are high, to open the way to treatment with Omalizumab. Prospective studies, with well designed protocols, are needed to assess the efficacy, tolerability, and cost-effectiveness of immunoapheresis in the field of food allergy.

  11. Novel immunotherapy and treatment modality for severe food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagakura, Ken-Ichi; Sato, Sakura; Yanagida, Noriyuki; Ebisawa, Motohiro

    2017-06-01

    In recent years, many studies on oral immunotherapy (OIT) have been conducted; however, few have focused on severe food allergies. The purpose of this review was to assess the efficacy and safety of oral immunotherapies for patients with severe food allergy. We reviewed multiple immunotherapy reports published within a few years or reports focusing on severe food allergies. We also investigated recent studies on OIT and novel food allergy management. Immunotherapies targeting low-dose antigen exposure and oral food challenges using low-dose target volumes may be safer than conventional OIT. It is necessary to consider which immunotherapy regimen is appropriate based on allergy severity of the patient.

  12. Food allergies in school: design and evaluation of a teacher-oriented training action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravarotto, Licia; Mascarello, Giulia; Pinto, Anna; Schiavo, Maria Rita; Bagni, Marina; Decastelli, Lucia

    2014-12-04

    Food allergies are perceived as a significant problem in school environments; as a result, a teacher's ability to recognise and deal with allergic reactions is of fundamental importance to protect children's health. This paper includes the results of a study conducted for the purposes of designing, implementing and monitoring a specific set of teacher-oriented communication actions. The study involved designing, implementing and assessing five workshops. These workshops were designed on the basis of the analysis of perceptions and information needs investigated by three focus groups (25 teachers). The level of the teachers' knowledge and appreciation of the workshops was evaluated by using two structured questionnaires (n = 158). The teachers feel that they are insufficiently informed about food allergies; this knowledge gap is confirmed by an analysis of their knowledge before participating in the workshops. According to the teachers, the information which would be most useful to them has to do with the practical management of allergies in school. They feel that there is a lack of a professional contact person for precise and reliable information on health issues. The workshops seem to be appreciated as an information method. In addition, there appears to be a need to involve all children in awareness raising activities and education projects on this subject. There is an urgent need for training actions on food allergies in Italian schools, in particular the communication of practical information regarding the management of allergies and emergencies. More communication between the medical and school staff is, in particular, advisable.

  13. Married...with Food Allergies | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Food Allergies Married...with Food Allergies Past Issues / Spring 2011 Table of Contents Photo: ... life together and a common problem—severe food allergies. NIH MedlinePlus magazine’s Naomi Miller caught up with ...

  14. Allergy to jackfruit: a novel example of Bet v 1-related food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bolhaar, S. T. H. P.; Ree, R.; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, C. A. F. M.; Knulst, A. C.; Zuidmeer, L.

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Jackfruit allergy has been reported just once. It is unknown whether this food allergy is caused by direct sensitization or cross-sensitization to pollen allergens. OBJECTIVE: Establish whether jackfruit allergy is linked to birchpollen allergy. METHODS: Two jackfruit allergic patients

  15. Food Allergies

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2013-04-23

    In this podcast for kids, the Kidtastics talk about the dangers of food allergies and the need to be aware if any friends or classmates have them.  Created: 4/23/2013 by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   Date Released: 4/23/2013.

  16. Food Allergy in Ghanaian Schoolchildren: Data on Sensitization and Reported Food Allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Obeng, Benedicta B.; Amoah, Abena S.; Larbi, Irene A.; Yazdanbakhsh, Maria; van Ree, Ronald; Boakye, Daniel A.; Hartgers, Franca C.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Epidemiological data on food allergy are scarce in African countries. We studied the prevalence of food sensitization in Ghanaian schoolchildren. Methods: Children (5-16 years; n = 1,714) from 9 Ghanaian schools were given parental consent to participate in the study. Adverse reactions

  17. Evaluation of an Online Educational Program for Parents and Caregivers of Children With Food Allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Baqués, A; Contreras-Porta, J; Marques-Mejías, M; Cárdenas Rebollo, J M; Capel Torres, F; Ariño Pla, M N; Zorrozua Santisteban, A; Chivato, T

    2018-01-01

    The increasing prevalence of food allergy affects both patients and their families. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an online educational program designed for parents and caregivers of children with food allergies. The program was developed by a multidisciplinary group comprising health care professionals, researchers, and expert patients under the participatory medicine model. Participants took a 2-week online educational program covering major topics in food allergy management. General knowledge about the disease, symptoms, treatment, and topics relevant to families' daily lives were evaluated. The contents included educational videos, online forums, and live video chats. A pretest/posttest questionnaire survey was used to evaluate the impact of the program. A total of 207 participants enrolled in the educational program, which was completed by 130 (62.8%). Knowledge acquisition improved significantly following participation in the program in 15 out of 30 items (50%), reaching P<.001 for 8 items (26.7%). Of the 207 participants who started the program, 139 (67.1%) visited online forums, and 27.5% attended video chats. Average overall satisfaction with the educational program was 8.78 (on a scale of 0 to 10). The results obtained show that parents improved their knowledge in all areas of food allergy. The high level of satisfaction among participants suggests that digital learning tools are effective and motivational, enabling patients to acquire appropriate knowledge and thus increasing their quality of life.

  18. Hygiene factors associated with childhood food allergy and asthma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Ruchi S; Singh, Anne Marie; Walkner, Madeline; Caruso, Deanna; Bryce, Paul J; Wang, Xiaobin; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Smith, Bridget M

    2016-11-01

    Childhood food allergy and asthma rates are increasing. The hygiene hypothesis has been proposed as an explanation for the increased incidence of allergic disease. To describe the association of childhood food allergy and asthma with hygiene factors, such as the number of siblings, antibiotic use, infection history, pet exposure, child care exposure, and maternalchild factors. Children ages 021 years old (N = 1359) were recruited for a cross-sectional family-based study, including children with food allergy and children without food allergy, and their siblings. We assessed the associations between childhood food allergy and asthma with hygiene factors. Of the 1359 children, 832 (61.2%) had food allergy, and 406 (30%) had asthma. In the adjusted analysis, the prevalence of food allergy was increased if there was a history of skin infection (prevalence ratio [RRR] 1.12 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.011.24]) or eczema (RRR 1.89 [95% CI, 1.702.10]). The prevalence of asthma was increased with a history of respiratory syncytial virus infection (RRR 1.60 [95% CI, 1.341.90]) or eczema (RRR 1.54 [95% CI, 1.271.86]). A greater number of siblings were associated with a decreased prevalence of food allergy (RRR 0.79 [95% CI, 0.750.84]) and asthma (RRR 0.82 [95% CI, 0.740.91]). Our findings supported the accumulating evidence of an association between skin infections and eczema with food allergy. Because these results could be subject to recall bias, additional prospective studies are needed to substantiate these findings.

  19. Food Allergy Education for School Nurses: A Needs Assessment Survey by the Consortium of Food Allergy Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlisle, Suzanna K.; Vargas, Perla A.; Noone, Sally; Steele, Pam; Sicherer, Scott H.; Burks, A. Wesley; Jones, Stacie M.

    2010-01-01

    Food allergy is increasing in school-age children. School nurses are a primary health care resource for children with food allergy and must be prepared to manage allergen avoidance and respond in the event of an allergic reaction. An anonymous survey was administered to school nurses attending their association meetings to determine their…

  20. Single and multiple food allergies in infants with proctocolitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koksal, B T; Barıs, Z; Ozcay, F; Yilmaz Ozbek, O

    Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis is a frequent cause of rectal bleeding in infants. Characteristics of infants with multiple food allergies have not been defined. This study aimed to identify characteristics of infants with proctocolitis and compare infants with single and multiple food allergies. A total of 132 infants with proctocolitis were evaluated retrospectively. All of the infants were diagnosed by a paediatric allergist and/or a paediatric gastroenterologist according to guidelines. Clinical features of the infants, as well as results of a complete blood count, skin prick test, specific immunoglobulin E, and stool examinations or colonoscopy were recorded. Cow's milk (97.7%) was the most common allergen, followed by egg (22%). Forty-five (34.1%) infants had allergies to more than one food. Infants with multiple food allergies had a higher eosinophil count (613±631.2 vs. 375±291.9) and a higher frequency of positive specific IgE and/or positive skin prick test results than that of patients with a single food allergy. Most of the patients whose symptoms persisted after two years of age had multiple food allergies. There is no difference in clinical presentations between infants with single and multiple food allergies. However, infants with multiple food allergies have a high blood total eosinophil count and are more likely to have a positive skin prick test and/or positive specific IgE results. Copyright © 2017 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  1. Food Allergy: Our Evolving Understanding of Its Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iweala, Onyinye I; Burks, A Wesley

    2016-05-01

    Food allergy is defined as an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity response to ingested food with allergic symptoms ranging from urticaria to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Food allergy is thought to develop because of (1) failed induction of tolerance upon initial exposure to food antigen or (2) breakdown of established tolerance to food antigen. We review current understanding of the pathogenesis, epidemiology, and natural history of food allergy, including the unconventional IgE-mediated food allergy to mammalian meat known as alpha-gal food allergy. We highlight emerging data on food allergy treatment and prevention, emphasizing the growing appeal of manipulating the gut microenvironment using probiotics and helminth products to blunt systemic allergic responses to food.

  2. Prevalence of celiac disease in patients with severe food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pillon, R; Ziberna, F; Badina, L; Ventura, A; Longo, G; Quaglia, S; De Leo, L; Vatta, S; Martelossi, S; Patano, G; Not, T; Berti, I

    2015-10-01

    The association between food allergy and celiac disease (CD) is still to be clarified. We screened for CD 319 patients with severe food allergy (IgE > 85 kU/l against food proteins and a history of severe allergic reactions) who underwent specific food oral immunotherapy (OIT), together with 128 children with mild allergy who recovered without OIT, and compared the prevalence data with our historical data regarding healthy schoolchildren. Sixteen patients (5%) with severe allergy and one (0.8%) with mild allergy tested positive for both genetic and serological CD markers, while the prevalence among the schoolchildren was 1%. Intestinal biopsies were obtained in 13/16 patients with severe allergy and in the one with mild allergy, confirming the diagnosis of CD. Sufferers from severe food allergy seem to be at a fivefold increased risk of CD. Our findings suggest that routine screening for CD should be recommended in patients with severe food allergy. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. The prevalence of food allergy: a meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rona, Roberto J.; Keil, Thomas; Summers, Colin; Gislason, David; Zuidmeer, Laurian; Sodergren, Eva; Sigurdardottir, Sigurveig T.; Lindner, Titia; Goldhahn, Klaus; Dahlstrom, Jorgen; McBride, Doreen; Madsen, Charlotte

    2007-01-01

    There is uncertainty about the prevalence of food allergy in communities. To assess the prevalence of food allergy by performing a meta-analysis according to the method of assessment used. The foods assessed were cow's milk, hen's egg, peanut, fish, shellfish, and an overall estimate of food

  4. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines. Protecting consumers with food allergies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Muraro, A; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K; Holzhauser, T

    2014-01-01

    production. There is an urgent requirement for effective communication between health care professionals, patient organizations, food industry representatives and regulators to develop a better approach to protecting consumers with food allergies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved....... and expectations of the food allergic consumer in that context. There is a general duty of care on the food industry and obligations in European Union legislation to reduce and manage the presence of allergens alongside other food hazards. Current evidence enables quantification of allergen reference doses used...

  5. Prevalence of food allergies and intolerances documented in electronic health records.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acker, Warren W; Plasek, Joseph M; Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Lai, Kenneth H; Topaz, Maxim; Seger, Diane L; Goss, Foster R; Slight, Sarah P; Bates, David W; Zhou, Li

    2017-12-01

    Food allergy prevalence is reported to be increasing, but epidemiological data using patients' electronic health records (EHRs) remain sparse. We sought to determine the prevalence of food allergy and intolerance documented in the EHR allergy module. Using allergy data from a large health care organization's EHR between 2000 and 2013, we determined the prevalence of food allergy and intolerance by sex, racial/ethnic group, and allergen group. We examined the prevalence of reactions that were potentially IgE-mediated and anaphylactic. Data were validated using radioallergosorbent test and ImmunoCAP results, when available, for patients with reported peanut allergy. Among 2.7 million patients, we identified 97,482 patients (3.6%) with 1 or more food allergies or intolerances (mean, 1.4 ± 0.1). The prevalence of food allergy and intolerance was higher in females (4.2% vs 2.9%; P food allergen groups were shellfish (0.9%), fruit or vegetable (0.7%), dairy (0.5%), and peanut (0.5%). Of the 103,659 identified reactions to foods, 48.1% were potentially IgE-mediated (affecting 50.8% of food allergy or intolerance patients) and 15.9% were anaphylactic. About 20% of patients with reported peanut allergy had a radioallergosorbent test/ImmunoCAP performed, of which 57.3% had an IgE level of grade 3 or higher. Our findings are consistent with previously validated methods for studying food allergy, suggesting that the EHR's allergy module has the potential to be used for clinical and epidemiological research. The spectrum of severity observed with food allergy highlights the critical need for more allergy evaluations. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. All rights reserved.

  6. Restaurant Food Allergy Practices - Six Selected Sites, United States, 2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radke, Taylor J; Brown, Laura G; Faw, Brenda; Hedeen, Nicole; Matis, Bailey; Perez, Priscela; Viveiros, Brendalee; Ripley, Danny

    2017-04-21

    Food allergies affect an estimated 15 million persons in the United States (1), and are responsible for approximately 30,000 emergency department visits and 150-200 deaths each year (2). Nearly half of reported fatal food allergy reactions over a 13-year period were caused by food from a restaurant or other food service establishment (3). To ascertain the prevalence of food allergy training, training topics, and practices related to food allergies, CDC's Environmental Health Specialists Network (EHS-Net), a collaborative forum of federal agencies and state and local health departments with six sites, interviewed personnel at 278 restaurants. Fewer than half of the 277 restaurant managers (44.4%), 211 food workers (40.8%), and 156 servers (33.3%) interviewed reported receiving food allergy training. Among those who reported receiving training, topics commonly included the major food allergens and what to do if a customer has a food allergy. Although most restaurants had ingredient lists for at least some menu items, few had separate equipment or areas designated for the preparation of allergen-free food. Restaurants can reduce the risk for allergic reactions among patrons by providing food allergy training for personnel and ingredient lists for all menu items and by dedicating equipment and areas specifically for preparing allergen-free food.

  7. Food Allergy Treatment for Hyperkinesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapp, Doris J.

    1979-01-01

    Eleven hyperactive children (6 to 15 years old) were treated with a food extract after titration food allergy testing. They remained improved for 1 to 3 months while ingesting the foods to which they were sensitive. (Author)

  8. The Evaluation of a Food Allergy and Epinephrine Autoinjector Training Program for Personnel Who Care for Children in Schools and Community Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahl, Ann; Stephens, Hilary; Ruffo, Mark; Jones, Amanda L.

    2015-01-01

    With the dramatic increase in the incidence of food allergies, nurses and other school personnel are likely to encounter a child with food allergies. The objectives of this study were to assess the effectiveness of in-person training on enhancing knowledge about food allergies and improving self-confidence in preventing, recognizing, and treating…

  9. Managing simple food allergy in community settings: A pilot study investigating a new model of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danchin, Margaret; De Bono, Natalie; Allen, Katrina; Tang, Mimi; Hiscock, Harriet

    2016-03-01

    The prevalence of food allergy in Australia has increased, paralleled by an increase in waiting time to access tertiary paediatric allergy care. We aimed to test whether a new model of care, based on serum specific IgE testing, was feasible and acceptable to Australian families. A prospective pilot intervention study was conducted in community paediatric practices within 20-40 km of The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Children ≤7 years with likely food allergy referred to the Department of Allergy and Immunology at RCH were included; children with anaphylaxis, drug allergy or complex food allergy (>three food groups) were excluded. Community general paediatricians, recruited through the Australian Paediatric Research Network, were trained via webinars on the management of four common food allergy-related scenarios. Paediatrician and child and family parameters were assessed at baseline and 3 months, including safety. 34/45 (76%) eligible families and 10/12 (83%) paediatricians participated. Paediatricians managed 27/34 (80%) of children independently, with 7/34 (20%) requiring referral to an allergist for more complex food allergy. Paediatricians reported improved knowledge and competency in managing food allergy: (mean (standard deviation) scores pre = 35 (5.3) and post = 43.3 (3.9) training). The majority of children received appropriate management; there were no anaphylaxis episodes. There was no significant change in child quality of life or parent mental health. Management of simple food allergy by community paediatricians appears feasible and acceptable to paediatricians and families alike. Future research will evaluate this approach in an adequately powered and controlled trial. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2015 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  10. The impact of food allergies on quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bacal, Liane R

    2013-07-01

    CME EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES 1. Recognize and appreciate the impact of food allergies on psychosocial health. 2. List the factors that have been shown to negatively affect health-related quality of life. 3. Understand how physicians can directly help to improve a child's quality of life while living with food allergies. Food allergy is a serious problem affecting a growing number of children worldwide. There is a large body of evidence supporting the detrimental effects that food allergy can have on a child's quality of life. With validated tools, we can identify these children and focus on how to protect, guide, and help them to live a safe life. Recent research articulates how food allergies impact health-related quality of life (HRQL). There are studies reported from the child's perspective, as well as studies reported from the parent's perspective. With the development of validated disease and age-specific questionnaires, researchers can reliably gather data on the psychological aspect of children with food allergies. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the literature examining the psycho-social impact of food allergies on children. This article was designed to outline suggestions to help physicians care for the whole child - both mind and body. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  11. [Diagnostics and management of food allergies in childhood and adolescence].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szépfalusi, Zsolt; Spiesz, Karin; Huttegger, Isidor

    2015-09-01

    Food allergies can result in life-threatening reactions and diminish quality of life. The prevalence of food allergies is increasing with large regional variability. A few food allergens cover the majority of food-related reactions (cow`s milk, egg, wheat, soy, fish, crustacean, nuts and peanut). Food reactions can be categorized in IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated, the latter of which remaining often a clue in the diagnosis. Treatment of food allergy involves mainly strict avoidance of the trigger food. Medications help to manage symptoms of disease, but currently, there is no cure for food allergy.

  12. Risk Management for Food Allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Risk Management for Food Allergy is developed by a team of scientists and industry professionals who understand the importance of allergen risk assessment and presents practical, real-world guidance for food manufacturers. With more than 12 million Americans suffering from food allergies and little...... appropriate "safe" thresholds of ingredients, the food industry must take increasingly proactive steps to avoid direct or cross-contamination as well as ensuring that their products are appropriately labeled and identified for those at risk. This book covers a range of critical topics in this area, including...... indication of what is causing that number to continue to grow, food producers, packagers and distributors need to appropriately process, label and deliver their products to ensure the safety of customers with allergic conditions. By identifying risk factors during processing as well as determining...

  13. The prevalence of food allergy: A meta-analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rona, Roberto J.; Keil, Thomas; Summers, Colin

    2007-01-01

    Background: There is uncertainty about the prevalence of food allergy in communities. Objective: To assess the prevalence of food allergy by performing a meta-analysis according to the method of assessment used. Methods: The foods assessed were cow's milk, hen's egg, peanut, fish, shellfish....... The meta-analysis included only original studies. They were stratified by age groups: infant/preschool, school children, and adults. Results: A total of 934 articles were identified, but only 51 were considered appropriate for inclusion. The prevalence of self-reported food allergy was very high compared...

  14. FOOD ALLERGY PREVENTION IN INFANCY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.G. Makarova

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with new data about food tolerance induction among the children, belonging to the high risk groups disposed to atopy. Authors show the role of gut microflora in formation of child immune system, effect of breast feeding on activation of local immune response, growth stimulation of bifid bacteria and lactic acid bacilli. The present work gives the randomized research findings, which confirm the effectiveness of prolonged breast feeding, use of highly or partially hydrolyzed mixtures and timely introduction of supplemental feeding in food allergy prevention.Key words: prevention, food allergy, children, breast feeding, hypo allergic mixtures, milk protein hydrolysates, supplemental feeding, gut microflora, probiotics.

  15. The atopic dog: a model for food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermel, R W; Kock, M; Griffey, S M; Reinhart, G A; Frick, O L

    1997-02-01

    The renewed interest in food allergy and its investigation has been hampered by the lack of an appropriate animal model with similar comparative aspects of form and function relative to humans. Therefore we have been characterizing an inbred colony of high immunoglobulin E-producing dogs that were immunized subcutaneously with food antigen extracts in alum and that developed clinical manifestations of food allergy after oral challenges with food antigen. These dogs had appreciably high IgE antibody titer to specific food antigens, as measured by an enzyme-labeled immunodot assay. Skin test results for the food antigens were consistently positive, as evidenced by a wheal-and-flare reaction. Gastroscopic food sensitivity was tested through an endoscope by injecting allergenic food extracts into the gastric mucosa after intravenous injection of Evans blue dye. Mucosal changes included swelling and erythema, some petechiae and blue patching, and in some instances generalized gastric erythema and hyperperistalsis. Examination of immediate-reaction biopsy specimens revealed edema and few inflammatory cells. Examination of late-reaction biopsy specimens revealed increased eosinophil and mononuclear cell infiltrations typical of late-phase allergic inflammatory responses. Direct mucosal challenge with food extracts confirmed the clinical and immunologic evidence of food allergy in these immunized dogs and suggests the usefulness of the atopic dog as a model for food allergy. This model might also be useful in detecting hidden food allergies in unexplained inflammatory gastrointestinal tract diseases.

  16. Managing Food Allergies in School.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munoz-Furlong, Anne

    1997-01-01

    The number of students with food allergies is increasing, with peanuts the leading culprit. Peer pressure and allergens hidden in baked goods can pose problems for school staff. Children with documented life-threatening allergies are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Principals should reassure parents and use Section 504 guidelines…

  17. Platanus acerifolia pollinosis and food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enrique, E; Cisteró-Bahíma, A; Bartolomé, B; Alonso, R; San Miguel-Moncín, M M; Bartra, J; Martínez, A

    2002-04-01

    In Mediterranean areas, oral allergy syndrome (OAS) occurs independently of an associated birch pollinosis; moreover, on occasions it presents with no other associated pollinosis. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association of OAS with Platanus acerifolia pollinosis. We evaluated consecutive patients seen for pollinosis in an allergy department. Seven hundred and twenty patients were selected on the basis of seasonal or perennial rhinitis, or asthma, or both. Respiratory and food allergies were studied in all patients. Clinical history was recorded and examinations and skin prick tests were performed with a battery of available common inhalant allergens and plant-derived food allergens. Specific IgE levels to P. acerifolia pollen extract and food allergens tested were measured. Molecular masses of the IgE-binding proteins and cross-reactivity among the P. acerifolia pollen and different food extracts were also determined. Of the 720 patients evaluated, 61 (8.48%) were sensitized to P. acerifolia pollen. Food allergy was observed in 32 (52.45%) of the 61 patients sensitized to P. acerifolia pollen. Food allergens most frequently implicated were hazelnuts, peach, apple, peanuts, maize, chickpea and lettuce. Enzyme allergosorbent (EAST)-inhibition showed high inhibition values when P. acerifolia pollen extract was used as free phase. On the contrary low inhibition was observed when plant-derived food allergens were used as free phase and P. acerifolia pollen extract as solid phase. Cross-reactivity was observed among P. acerifolia pollen and plant-derived foods. OAS in these patients may have been caused by primary respiratory sensitization.

  18. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Nurses

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-20

    This podcast highlights the leadership role of school nurses in the management of food allergies in schools. It also identifies CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/20/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/20/2015.

  19. Clinical importance of cross-reactivity in food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Ree, Ronald

    2004-01-01

    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Review of recent developments in the field of cross-reactivity in food allergy and the clinical relevance of these developments. RECENT FINDINGS: New foods have been added to the list of Bet v 1 and profilin-related food allergies. Clinical relevance of cross-reactions based on

  20. Current status of managing food allergies in schools in Seoul, Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Soyoung; Yoon, Jihyun; Kwon, Sooyoun; Kim, Jihyun; Han, Youngshin

    2012-12-01

    Recently the need to manage food allergies in schools has been growing. This study aimed to examine the current status of managing food allergies in schools in Seoul, Korea. A questionnaire survey was conducted in cooperation with the School Dietician Association during April 2009. Among the participating 154 schools, a total of 109 (71%) were determining students' food allergy status through parental surveys based on self-reported food allergies. A total of 72 (47%) had experienced student visits to a school health room due to food allergies within one year before the survey. Over 80 percent of the schools relied on self-care only without any school-wide measures for food allergies in place. Among the 890 menu items most frequently served in school lunch programs, a total of 664 (75%) were found to contain more than one food allergen. It is highly suggested that preventive plans and treatment measures should be established to manage food allergies in schools.

  1. Moral Considerations in Pediatric Food Allergies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Shoaran

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Food allergies are common health problem among children. They carry a significant risk of severe allergic reactions. These disorders are chronic conditions in which the immune system becomes hypersensitive to some food products. It is estimated that 8% of children under the age of three have a type of food allergy. The common allergenic foods include cow’s milk, wheat, peanuts, egg, soy and fish.The mainstay of treatment is to eliminate the allergenic food from the patient’s diet which in case of a child mandates special behavioral and ethical problems. Considering the growing incidence of food allergy, and the risk of anaphylaxis, diverse moral-ethical challenges face parents, school administrators and health professionals. Older children have the right to keep the fact of their disease private and this is a matter of their autonomy and may be an effort to prevent stigmatization by other students followed by psychosocial discomfort.Some moral & ethical principles in implementing management guidelines for allergic children include: -Imagine if the patient was your own. What level of protection would you expect for him/her? -Do protective policies cause the child to be isolated from others? -Are medical recordings confidential? -Avoid unduly limiting the diet of these children. A certain scenario is an infant with cow milk allergy. In this condition specific consideration should be paid to the mother’s nutritional status when a dietary elimination strategy is to be implemented. Considering the costs /benefits of diagnostic and therapeutic measures in food allergic children is recommended.  

  2. Food allergy: Definitions,prevalence,diagnosis and therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Ree, Ronald; Poulsen, Lars K; Wong, Gary Wk

    2015-01-01

    disease) and non-immune (e.g., lactose intolerance) nature. To reliably diagnose food allergy, a careful history (immediate-type reactions) needs to be complemented with demonstration of specific IgE (immune mechanism) and confirmed by an oral challenge. Co-factors such as exercise, medication......Food allergy is phenotypically an extremely heterogeneous group of diseases affecting multiple organs, sometimes in an isolated way, sometimes simultaneously, with the severity of reactions ranging from mild and local to full-blown anaphylaxis. Mechanistically, it is defined as a Th2-driven immune...... disorder in which food-specific IgE antibodies are at the basis of immediate-type adverse reactions. The sites of sensitization and symptoms do not necessarily overlap. Food allergy, which is the theme of this paper, is often confused with other adverse reactions to food of both animmune (e.g., celiac...

  3. The prevalence and characteristics of food allergy in urban minority children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor-Black, Sarah; Wang, Julie

    2012-12-01

    Urban minority children are known to have high rates of asthma and allergic rhinitis, but little is known about food allergy in this population. To examine the prevalence and characteristics of food allergy in an urban pediatric population. A retrospective review of electronic medical records from children seen in the hospital-based general pediatric clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital serving East Harlem, NY, between July 1, 2008 and July 1, 2010 was performed. Charts for review were selected based on diagnosis codes for food allergy, anaphylaxis, or epinephrine autoinjector prescriptions. Of 9,184 children seen in this low-income, minority clinic, 3.4% (313) had a physician-documented food allergy. The most common food allergies were peanut (1.6%), shellfish (1.1%), and tree nuts (0.8%). Significantly more black children (4.7%) were affected than children of other races (2.7%, P food-allergic children, asthma (50%), atopic dermatitis (52%), and allergic rhinitis (49%) were common. Fewer than half had confirmatory testing or evaluation by an allergy specialist, and although most had epinephrine autoinjectors prescribed, most were not prescribed food allergy action plans. This is the largest study of food allergy prevalence in an urban minority pediatric population, and 3.4% had physician-documented food allergy. Significantly more blacks were affected than children of other races. Fewer than half of food-allergic children in this population had confirmatory testing or evaluation by an allergy specialist. Copyright © 2012 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Association of Food Allergies, Cow’s Milk Allergy, and Asthma With Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholam-Hossein Fallahi

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available There are controversies on the association of childhood allergic diseases with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD. The aim of this study was to examine the association between food allergy, cow’s milk allergy (CMA, and asthma with pediatric IBD in Iranian population. This case-control study was conducted on 200 individuals less than 18-year-old (100 with IBD and 100 as control group. Medical records, clinical presentation, and laboratory and para-clinical findings related to food allergy, CMA, and asthma were reviewed for all participants in both groups and were recorded. Among 100 children with IBD, 40 had Crohn's disease, and 60 had ulcerative colitis. The frequency of food allergy, cow's milk allergy, and asthma in children with IBD was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.001. Asthma in children with Crohn's disease was significantly more prevalent than children with ulcerative colitis (P=0.008. Food allergy (OR: 22.1, 95% CI: 5.1-95.05, P<0.001, CMA (OR: 15, 95% CI: 3-67, P<0.001, and asthma (OR: 10, 95% CI: 3-37.05, P<0.001 were significantly associated with increased risk of IBD in children. Food allergy, CMA in infancy and asthma are more prevalent in children with different subtypes of IBD. The diagnosis of these risk factors is associated with increased risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

  5. Perfluoroalkyl substances and food allergies in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buser, Melanie C; Scinicariello, Franco

    2016-03-01

    Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of organic compounds that are persistent in the environment due to their stable carbon-fluorine backbone, which is not susceptible to degradation. Research suggests these chemicals may exert an immunotoxic effect. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between four PFASs - perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) - with food sensitization and food allergies in adolescent participants (ages 12-19years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2006 and 2007-2010, respectively. We performed multivariate logistic regression to analyze the association between individual PFASs with food sensitization (defined as having at least 1 food-specific IgE level≥0.35kU/L) in NHANES 2005-2006 and food allergies (self-reported) in NHANES 2007-2010. Serum PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS were statistically significantly associated with higher odds to have self-reported food allergies in NHANES 2007-2010. When using IgE levels as a marker of food sensitization, we found that serum PFNA was inversely associated with food sensitization (NHANES 2005-2006). In conclusion, we found that serum levels of PFASs were associated with higher odds to have self-reported food allergies. Conversely, adolescents with higher serum PFNA were less likely to be sensitized to food allergens. These results, along with previous studies, warrant further investigation, such as well-designed longitudinal studies. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Impact of Food Allergy on Asthma in Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... on Asthma in Children Share | The impact of food allergy on asthma in children Published Online: September, 2013 ... school-aged children is high. Studies suggest that food allergy has increased in prevalence, and often children with ...

  7. A prospective microbiome-wide association study of food sensitization and food allergy in early childhood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savage, Jessica H; Lee-Sarwar, Kathleen A; Sordillo, Joanne; Bunyavanich, Supinda; Zhou, Yanjiao; O'Connor, George; Sandel, Megan; Bacharier, Leonard B; Zeiger, Robert; Sodergren, Erica; Weinstock, George M; Gold, Diane R; Weiss, Scott T; Litonjua, Augusto A

    2018-01-01

    Alterations in the intestinal microbiome are prospectively associated with the development of asthma; less is known regarding the role of microbiome alterations in food allergy development. Intestinal microbiome samples were collected at age 3-6 months in children participating in the follow-up phase of an interventional trial of high-dose vitamin D given during pregnancy. At age 3, sensitization to foods (milk, egg, peanut, soy, wheat, walnut) was assessed. Food allergy was defined as caretaker report of healthcare provider-diagnosed allergy to the above foods prior to age 3 with evidence of IgE sensitization. Analysis was performed using Phyloseq and DESeq2; P-values were adjusted for multiple comparisons. Complete data were available for 225 children; there were 87 cases of food sensitization and 14 cases of food allergy. Microbial diversity measures did not differ between food sensitization and food allergy cases and controls. The genera Haemophilus (log 2 fold change -2.15, P=.003), Dialister (log 2 fold change -2.22, P=.009), Dorea (log 2 fold change -1.65, P=.02), and Clostridium (log 2 fold change -1.47, P=.002) were underrepresented among subjects with food sensitization. The genera Citrobacter (log 2 fold change -3.41, P=.03), Oscillospira (log 2 fold change -2.80, P=.03), Lactococcus (log 2 fold change -3.19, P=.05), and Dorea (log 2 fold change -3.00, P=.05) were underrepresented among subjects with food allergy. The temporal association between bacterial colonization and food sensitization and allergy suggests that the microbiome may have a causal role in the development of food allergy. Our findings have therapeutic implications for the prevention and treatment of food allergy. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  8. The ins and outs of managing avoidance diets for food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaker, Marcus; Venter, Carina

    2016-08-01

    Food allergic reactions have become more prevalent and management of food allergies requires dietary avoidance of triggers that may place children at nutritional risk. Immunoglobulin E and non-immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergies lead to dietary avoidance. Although some children outgrow food allergies or become tolerant to cooked/baked versions of the allergen, many do not. Multiple food avoidance increases the risk for inadequate nutrient intake, including protein, calcium, vitamin D, and others. Multidisciplinary management of patients requires careful attention to growth, particularly height, and nutrition. Although attention to accurate diagnosis of food allergy is key, understanding nutritional risks of children with food allergies can lead to opportunities to address potential deficiencies resulting from food allergen avoidance.

  9. An exploratory investigation of food choice behavior of teenagers with and without food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommer, Isolde; Mackenzie, Heather; Venter, Carina; Dean, Taraneh

    2014-05-01

    Understanding food choice behavior in adolescence is important because many core eating habits may be tracked into adulthood. The food choices of at least 2.3% of teenagers living in the United Kingdom are determined by food allergies. However, the effect of food allergies on eating habits in teenagers has not yet been studied. To provide an understanding of how teenagers with food allergies make food choice decisions and how these differ from those of non-food-allergic teenagers. One focus group discussion with non-food-allergic teenagers (n = 11) and 14 semistructured interviewers (7 with food-allergic and 7 with non-food-allergic teenagers) were performed (age range, 12-18 years). The focus group discussion and interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Teenagers from both groups (food-allergic and non-food-allergic) named sensory characteristics of foods as the main reason for choosing them. Some food-allergic teenagers downplayed their allergy and frequently engaged in risk-taking behavior in terms of their food choices. However, they reported difficulties in trying new foods, especially when away from home. Parental control was experienced as protective by those with food allergies, whereas non-food-allergic teenagers felt the opposite. Most teenagers, including food-allergic ones, expressed the wish to eat similar foods to their friends. Other themes did not vary between the 2 groups. Food-allergic teenagers strive to be able to make similar food choices to their friends, although differences to non-food-allergic teenagers exist. It is important to address these differences to improve their dietary management. Copyright © 2014 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Approach to evaluation and management of a patient with multiple food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bird, J Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Diagnosing food allergy is often challenging, and validated testing modalities are mostly limited to immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reactions to foods. Use of food-specific IgE tests and skin prick tests in individuals without a history that supports an IgE-mediated reaction to the specific food being tested diminishes the predictive capabilities of the test. To review the literature regarding evaluation of patients with a concern for multiple food allergies and to demonstrate an evidence-based approach to diagnosis and management. A literature search was performed and articles identified as relevant based on the search terms "food allergy," "food allergy diagnosis," "skin prick test," "serum IgE test," "oral food challenge", and "food allergy management." Patients at risk of food allergy are often misdiagnosed and appropriate evaluation of patients with concern for food allergy includes taking a thorough diet history and reaction history, performing specific tests intentionally and when indicated, and conducting an oral food challenge in a safe environment by an experienced provider when test results are inconclusive. An evidence-based approach to diagnosing and managing a patient at risk of having a life-threatening food allergy is reviewed.

  11. Allergenicity in food allergy : influence of food processing and immunomodulation by lactic acid bacteria

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vissers, Y.M.

    2011-01-01


    Allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, atopic eczema and food allergy have become an increasing health problem world-wide, affecting between 20-30% of the total population. Peanut allergy (prevalence ~1%) is a common and persistent food allergy accounting for severe

  12. The oral food desensitization in the Italian allergy centres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meglio, P; Caminiti, L; Pajno, G B; Dello Iacono, I; Tripodi, S; Verga, M C; Martelli, A

    2015-05-01

    Attempts aimed at inducing food tolerance through oral food desensitization (OFD) for the treatment of IgE-mediated food allergies are increasing. In Italy, a number of allergy centres offer this procedure. To collect information on how these centres are organized, how patients are selected, the methods used to administer OFD and how adverse reactions are managed. A questionnaire was e-mailed to all the Italian allergy centres offering OFD. The survey shows a high degree of variability between centres. A correct diagnosis of food allergy is crucial for selecting patients for OFD. In the Italian allergy centres, oral food challenges are mostly open label (84%), but in 16% of cases they are single-blind (8%) or double-blind (8%). A high proportion of allergy centres (83%) offer OFD to children presenting forms of anaphylaxis triggered by traces--or very low doses--of food allergen. The majority of allergy centres (76%) enroll patients over 3 years of age, with 44% enrolling patients above the age of 5. Not-controlled asthma, unreliability of parents in the management of OFD and/or risk of adverse events, are the main reasons for exclusion from the procedure. Although OFD may sometimes be successful and may be considered a valid alternative to an elimination diet, further randomized controlled trials are needed, in order to clarify some controversial points, such as the characteristics of the child undergoing OFD, and the methods of food preparation and administration. Moreover, further studies should further investigate OFD safety, efficacy and costs.

  13. Similar prevalence, different spectrum: IgE-mediated food allergy among Turkish adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustafayev, R; Civelek, E; Orhan, F; Yüksel, H; Boz, A B; Sekerel, B E

    2013-01-01

    Scarcity of reliable data on food allergy prevalence exists in Turkey. We aimed to assess reported and confirmed IgE-mediated food allergy prevalence, and define the spectrum of allergenic food. We prospectively evaluated the ISAAC Phase II study population for food allergy. Participants that reported experiencing food allergy symptom in the last year and/or were skin prick test positive for a predefined list of food allergens, were interviewed via telephone, and those considered as having food allergy were invited to undergo clinical investigation, including challenge tests. A total of 6963 questionnaires were available. Parental reported food allergy prevalence and skin prick sensitisation rate were 20.2 ± 0.9% and 5.9 ± 0.6%. According to the above-defined criteria, 1162 children (symptom positive n=909, skin prick test positive n=301, both positive n=48) were selected and 813 (70.0%) were interviewed via telephone. Out of 152 adolescents reporting a current complaint, 87 accepted clinical investigation. There were 12 food allergies diagnosed in nine adolescents, with food allergy prevalence of 0.16 ± 0.11%. The most common foods involved in allergic reactions were walnut (n=3) and beef meat (n=2), followed by hen's egg (n=1), peanut (n=1), spinach (n=1), kiwi (n=1), cheese (n=1), hazelnut (n=1) and peach (n=1). While parental reported food allergy prevalence was within the range reported previously, confirmed IgE-mediated food allergy prevalence among adolescents was at least 0.16%, and the spectrum of foods involved in allergy differed from Western countries, implying environmental factors may play a role. Copyright © 2012 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  14. Incorporating a gender dimension in food allergy research: a review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DunnGalvin, A.; Hourihane, J.O.B.; Frewer, L.J.; Knibb, R.C.; Oude Elberink, J.N.G.; Klinge, I.

    2006-01-01

    Sex and gender are the major determinants of health and disease in both men and women. The aim of this review paper was to examine differences in gender and sex in relation to the prevalence and effects of food allergy. There are still major gaps in our knowledge about the kinds of processes which

  15. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy in the United States: report of the NIAID-sponsored expert panel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyce, Joshua A; Assa'ad, Amal; Burks, A Wesley; Jones, Stacie M; Sampson, Hugh A; Wood, Robert A; Plaut, Marshall; Cooper, Susan F; Fenton, Matthew J; Arshad, S Hasan; Bahna, Sami L; Beck, Lisa A; Byrd-Bredbenner, Carol; Camargo, Carlos A; Eichenfield, Lawrence; Furuta, Glenn T; Hanifin, Jon M; Jones, Carol; Kraft, Monica; Levy, Bruce D; Lieberman, Phil; Luccioli, Stefano; McCall, Kathleen M; Schneider, Lynda C; Simon, Ronald A; Simons, F Estelle R; Teach, Stephen J; Yawn, Barbara P; Schwaninger, Julie M

    2010-12-01

    Food allergy is an important public health problem that affects children and adults and may be increasing in prevalence. Despite the risk of severe allergic reactions and even death, there is no current treatment for food allergy: the disease can only be managed by allergen avoidance or treatment of symptoms. The diagnosis and management of food allergy also may vary from one clinical practice setting to another. Finally, because patients frequently confuse nonallergic food reactions, such as food intolerance, with food allergies, there is an unfounded belief among the public that food allergy prevalence is higher than it truly is. In response to these concerns, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, working with 34 professional organizations, federal agencies, and patient advocacy groups, led the development of clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy. These Guidelines are intended for use by a wide variety of health care professionals, including family practice physicians, clinical specialists, and nurse practitioners. The Guidelines include a consensus definition for food allergy, discuss comorbid conditions often associated with food allergy, and focus on both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated reactions to food. Topics addressed include the epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis, and management of food allergy, as well as the management of severe symptoms and anaphylaxis. These Guidelines provide 43 concise clinical recommendations and additional guidance on points of current controversy in patient management. They also identify gaps in the current scientific knowledge to be addressed through future research. Published by Mosby, Inc.

  16. IgE mediated food allergy in Korean children: focused on plant food allergy

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Soo-Young

    2013-01-01

    Food allergy (FA) is a worldwide problem, with increasing prevalence in many countries, and it poses a clearly increasing health problem in Korea. In Korea, as a part of International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC), a series of nation-wide population studies for prevalence of allergic disease in children were carried out, with the Korean version of ISAAC in 1995, 2000, and 2010. From the survey, the twelve-month prevalence of FA showed no significant differences from 1995 to...

  17. Diagnosing and managing common food allergies: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chafen, Jennifer J Schneider; Newberry, Sydne J; Riedl, Marc A; Bravata, Dena M; Maglione, Margaret; Suttorp, Marika J; Sundaram, Vandana; Paige, Neil M; Towfigh, Ali; Hulley, Benjamin J; Shekelle, Paul G

    2010-05-12

    There is heightened interest in food allergies but no clear consensus exists regarding the prevalence or most effective diagnostic and management approaches to food allergies. To perform a systematic review of the available evidence on the prevalence, diagnosis, management, and prevention of food allergies. Electronic searches of PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Searches were limited to English-language articles indexed between January 1988 and September 2009. Diagnostic tests were included if they had a prospective, defined study population, used food challenge as a criterion standard, and reported sufficient data to calculate sensitivity and specificity. Systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for management and prevention outcomes were also used. For foods where anaphylaxis is common, cohort studies with a sample size of more than 100 participants were included. Two investigators independently reviewed all titles and abstracts to identify potentially relevant articles and resolved discrepancies by repeated review and discussion. Quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses was assessed using the AMSTAR criteria, the quality of diagnostic studies using the QUADAS criteria most relevant to food allergy, and the quality of RCTs using the Jadad criteria. A total of 12,378 citations were identified and 72 citations were included. Food allergy affects more than 1% to 2% but less than 10% of the population. It is unclear if the prevalence of food allergies is increasing. Summary receiver operating characteristic curves comparing skin prick tests (area under the curve [AUC], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.93) and serum food-specific IgE (AUC, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.78-0.91) to food challenge showed no statistical superiority for either test. Elimination diets are the mainstay of therapy but have been rarely studied

  18. Early life innate immune signatures of persistent food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neeland, Melanie R; Koplin, Jennifer J; Dang, Thanh D; Dharmage, Shyamali C; Tang, Mimi L; Prescott, Susan L; Saffery, Richard; Martino, David J; Allen, Katrina J

    2017-11-14

    Food allergy naturally resolves in a proportion of food-allergic children without intervention; however the underlying mechanisms governing the persistence or resolution of food allergy in childhood are not understood. This study aimed to define the innate immune profiles associated with egg allergy at age 1 year, determine the phenotypic changes that occur with the development of natural tolerance in childhood, and explore the relationship between early life innate immune function and serum vitamin D. This study used longitudinally collected PBMC samples from a population-based cohort of challenge-confirmed egg-allergic infants with either persistent or transient egg allergy outcomes in childhood to phenotype and quantify the functional innate immune response associated with clinical phenotypes of egg allergy. We show that infants with persistent egg allergy exhibit a unique innate immune signature, characterized by increased numbers of circulating monocytes and dendritic cells that produce more inflammatory cytokines both at baseline and following endotoxin exposure when compared with infants with transient egg allergy. Follow-up analysis revealed that this unique innate immune signature continues into childhood in those with persistent egg allergy and that increased serum vitamin D levels correlate with changes in innate immune profiles observed in children who developed natural tolerance to egg. Early life innate immune dysfunction may represent a key immunological driver and predictor of persistent food allergy in childhood. Serum vitamin D may play an immune-modulatory role in the development of natural tolerance. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Allergen immunotherapy for IgE-mediated food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dhami, Sangeeta; Nurmatov, Ulugbek; Pajno, Giovanni Battista

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is in the process of developing the EAACI Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for IgE-mediated food allergy. We seek to critically assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and safety of AIT in IgE-mediated food...

  20. Causes, symptoms and prevention of food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zukiewicz-Sobczak, Wioletta Agnieszka; Wróblewska, Paula; Adamczuk, Piotr; Kopczyński, Przemysław

    2013-04-01

    Currently, food allergy is considered to be one of the diseases of civilization, which occurs as a result of the changing conditions of life and environmental changes (e.g. increased popularity of cesarean delivery, excessive hygienic regime during the neonatal-infantile period). Based on medical statistics, it can be concluded that this problem will be intensified. Consumption of food is one of the main activities in human life. What and how one eats affects our health. Meals eaten regularly provide the components necessary for the energy metabolism. Multicultural society, travel, and new trends affect the diversity of food consumed. The mechanism of food allergy reaction covers all 4 types of the immune response of the classical division of Gell and Coombs. The percentage of the immune response was assessed by Chandra as follows: type I - 48%, type II - 6%, type III - 10%, and type IV - 18%. The article presents the risk factors for food allergy, most common symptoms, preventive measures and characteristics of food products that are potential allergens.

  1. The impact of oral food challenges for food allergy on quality of life : a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kansen, Hannah M; Le, Thuy-My; Meijer, Yolanda; Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M J; Welsing, Paco M J; van der Ent, Cornelis K; Knulst, André C; van Erp, Francine C

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Food allergy significantly impairs health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, it is still unknown whether diagnostic interventions for food allergy improve HRQL. We aim to assess the impact of diagnostic interventions for food allergy on HRQL. METHODS: A systematic search was

  2. Goiter and Multiple Food Allergies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie Leniszewski

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Severe iodine deficiency results in impaired thyroid hormone synthesis and thyroid enlargement. In the United States, adequate iodine intake is a concern for women of childbearing age and pregnant women. Beyond this high risk group iodine deficiency is not considered to be a significant problem. This case report describes a 12-year-old male with severe iodine deficiency disorder (IDD resulting from restricted dietary intake due to multiple food allergies. We describe iodine replacement for this patient and continued monitoring for iodine sufficiency. Children with multiple food allergies, in particular those with restrictions to iodized salt and seafood, should be considered high risk for severe iodine deficiency.

  3. The rise of food allergy: Environmental factors and emerging treatments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Benedé

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Food allergy has rapidly increased in prevalence, suggesting an important role for environmental factors in disease susceptibility. The immune response of food allergy is characterized by IgE production, and new findings from mouse and human studies indicate an important role of the cytokine IL-9, which is derived from both T cells and mast cells, in disease manifestations. Emerging evidence suggests that route of exposure to food, particularly peanut, is important. Exposure through the skin promotes sensitization while early exposure through the gastrointestinal tract promotes tolerance. Evidence from mouse studies indicate a role of the microbiome in development of food allergy, which is supported by correlative human studies showing a dysbiosis in food allergy. There is no approved treatment for food allergy, but emerging therapies are focused on allergen immunotherapy to provide desensitization, while pre-clinical studies are focused on using adjuvants or novel delivery approaches to improve efficacy and safety of immunotherapy.

  4. Is maternal age at delivery related to childhood food allergy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dioun, Anahita F; Harris, Sion Kim; Hibberd, Patricia L

    2003-08-01

    The prevalence of food allergies is increasing. Concurrently, the average maternal age at birth is also increasing. We conducted a preliminary study to evaluate whether maternal age at the time of delivery is associated with a food allergy in children. Case and control patients were identified among consecutive patients seen by one of us (AD) in the Allergy/Immunology program at the Children's Hospital Boston between 11/1/98 and 2/28/00. Case patients were born in Massachusetts and had evidence of clinical sensitivity and IgE to one or more food allergens (n = 58). Control patients were those born in Massachusetts who had a negative skin test and/or RAST to inhalant and/or food allergens (n = 96). A second comparison group consisted of all live births in Massachusetts in 1999 (n = 80,866). Information on maternal age at birth was missing from 3/58 (5%) of patients with a food allergy and 4/96 (4%) of the control patients, so these patients were not included in the analysis. The proportion of children whose mother was aged 30 and over at their birth was significantly higher in children with a food allergy than control patients (78% vs. 55% p = 0.005) and higher than all births in Massachusetts (78% vs. 53% p = 0.0002). Mothers of children with a food allergy had about three times greater odds of being aged 30 or over at the time of delivery than mothers in either of the comparison groups. Further exploration of the data using logistic regression showed that maternal age over 30 at delivery and being first born were independent predictors of the child having a food allergy. In this study, the presence of a food allergy in children was related to older maternal age at delivery. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate this relationship and its potential implication in preventive strategies for food allergies in children.

  5. A Survey of Self-Reported Food Allergy and Food-Related Anaphylaxis among Young Adult Students at Kuwait University, Kuwait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Fatima

    2017-01-01

    To conduct a survey on self-reported food allergy to milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and sesame, as well as reported food-related anaphylaxis and epinephrine prescription practices among Kuwaiti students attending Kuwait University. One thousand questionnaires that included data on age, gender, presence of food allergies, and associated details were distributed. All participants reporting an allergy were categorized as having a perceived food allergy. Those with a convincing clinical history and history of undergoing diagnostic food allergy testing were further categorized as having a probable food allergy. Of the 1,000 questionnaires, 865 (86.5%) were completed. Of the 865 students, 104 (12.02%) reported food allergy (perceived), and 47 of these (45.19%) were probable food allergies. For milk (46.7%), peanut (35.7%), fish (60%), and sesame (50%), probable food allergy occurred in early childhood (≤5 years) while those of egg (44.4%) and wheat (57.1%) occurred in late childhood (6-10 years), and shellfish (40%) occurred in early adolescence (11-15 years). Of the 47 students with a probable food allergy, 28 (59.6%) were moderate to severe: 20 (71%) of these moderate-to-severe allergy cases reported at least 1 food-related anaphylactic episode while 8 (29%) denied such episodes. Equally important, of the 28 students, 6 (21%) received an autoinjectable epinephrine prescription, while 22 (79%) did not receive any. In this study the reported occurrence of perceived food allergy was low and probable food allergy occurred mostly in early childhood. Milk, egg, and nut allergies were the most commonly reported in both groups. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines. Protecting consumers with food allergies: understanding food consumption, meeting regulations and identifying unmet needs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muraro, A.; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K.; Holzhauser, T.; Poulsen, L. K.; Gowland, M. H.; Akdis, C. A.; Mills, E. N. C.; Papadopoulos, N.; Roberts, G.; Schnadt, S.; van Ree, R.; Sheikh, A.; Vieths, S.

    2014-01-01

    Individuals suffering from IgE-mediated food allergy usually have to practise life-long food allergen avoidance. This document aims to provide an overview of recent evidence-based recommendations for allergen risk assessment and management in the food industry and discusses unmet needs and

  7. Early introduction of allergenic foods for the prevention of food allergy from an Asian perspective-An Asia Pacific Association of Pediatric Allergy, Respirology & Immunology (APAPARI) consensus statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tham, Elizabeth Huiwen; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi; Van Bever, Hugo Ps; Vichyanond, Pakit; Ebisawa, Motohiro; Wong, Gary Wk; Lee, Bee Wah

    2018-02-01

    Emerging evidence for the early introduction of allergenic foods for the prevention of food allergies, such as peanut allergy in Western populations, has led to the recent publication of guidelines in the USA and Europe recommending early peanut introduction for high-risk infants with severe eczema or egg allergy. Peanut allergy is, however, much less prevalent in Asia compared to the West. Varying patterns of food allergy are seen even within Asian countries-such as a predominance of wheat allergy in Japan and Thailand and shellfish allergy in Singapore and the Philippines. Customs and traditions, such as diet and infant feeding practices, also differ between Asian populations. Hence, there are unique challenges in adapting guidelines on early allergenic food introduction to the Asian setting. In this paper, we review the evidence and discuss the possible approaches to guide the timely introduction of allergenic food in high-risk infants in Asia. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  8. National allergy programme had little impact on parent-reported food allergies in children aged 6-7 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmu, Sauli; Heikkilä, Paula; Uski, Virpi; Niitty, Siina; Kurikka, Sari; Korppi, Matti

    2018-01-01

    The ten-year Finnish national allergy programme was launched in 2008 to lessen the disease and psychological burden of allergy. This study assessed the prevalence of parent-reported food allergies requiring avoidance diets at primary school in children aged six and seven years. The cohort comprised 1937 children (51% boys) who started primary school in Tampere, Finland, in August 2016. School health nurses charted parent-reported, doctor-diagnosed food allergies requiring avoidance diets as part of the routine health examination. We found that 127 (6.6%) children had parent-reported, doctor-diagnosed allergies to at least one food and 37 (1.9%) were allergic to basic foods, namely cows' milk, wheat and one other grain. All required an avoidance diet. The figure did not differ significantly from the 2.7% and 2.5% found by studies of this age group in 2009 and 2013, respectively. Allergies to fresh fruit and vegetables decreased from 5.8% in 2009 to 3.6% in 2016. We studied the national allergy programme that started in 2008 and found that there was a nonsignificant overall decrease in the number of children aged six to seven years on avoidance diets for allergies between 2009 and 2016. The only allergies that showed significant decreases were fresh fruit and vegetables. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Managing Food Allergies at School: Teachers and Paraeducators

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-20

    This podcast highlights the role of teachers and paraeducators in the management of food allergies in schools. It also identifies CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/20/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/20/2015.

  10. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Nutrition Professionals

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-13

    This podcast highlights the role of school nutrition professionals in the management of food allergies in schools. It also identifies CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/13/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/13/2015.

  11. Malnutrition in children with food allergies in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, R; De Koker, C; Dziubak, R; Venter, C; Dominguez-Ortega, G; Cutts, R; Yerlett, N; Skrapak, A-K; Fox, A T; Shah, N

    2014-06-01

    The mainstay of dietary management of food allergies remains the elimination diet. However, the removal of major food groups may predispose children to an inadequate nutrient intake. We therefore set out to establish growth status in food allergic children receiving dietetic input in the UK. Dietitians were approached via the Food Allergy and Intolerance Specialist Group from the British Dietetic Association and asked to submit anthropometrical data for children with food allergies. Data collected related to the systems involved and number of foods excluded. Malnutrition was defined according to World Health Organization standards. Data from 13 different centres yielded 97 patients (51 male and 46 female) of which 66 excluded ≤2 foods and 31 excluded ≥3 foods. Data indicated that 8.5% had a weight for age ≤ -2 Z-score and, conversely, 8.5% were ≥2 Z-score. For height for age, 11.1% were ≤ -2 Z-score and, for weight for height, 3.7% were ≤ -2 Z-score and 7.5% ≥2 Z-score. Type of allergy, system involved and specific food elimination did not impact on the level of malnutrition. However, the elimination of ≥3 foods significantly impacted on weight for age (P = 0.044). The present study demonstrates that children with food allergies are more underweight than the general UK population, which appears to be linked to the number of foods excluded. However, the impact of the disease process itself should not be disregarded. Additionally, obesity can also occur in this population despite dietary elimination. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  12. An investigation of food choice behaviour and dietary intake of children, teenagers and adults with food allergies

    OpenAIRE

    Sommer, Isolde

    2013-01-01

    Food allergies in children, teenagers and adults are managed by eliminating the allergenic food from the diet. Healthcare professionals and policy makers have developed guidelines for the dietary management of food allergies, but as yet there has been no assessment of how individuals with food allergies are able to adapt their behaviour to them. In order to be able to improve the diet and nutrition of children, teenagers and adults with food allergies, and thereby to increase their quality of...

  13. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Transportation Staff

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-20

    This podcast highlights the role of bus drivers and transportation staff in the management of food allergies in schools. It also identifies CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/20/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/20/2015.

  14. Relationship between respiratory and food allergy and evaluation of preventive measures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vega, F; Panizo, C; Dordal, M T; González, M L; Velázquez, E; Valero, A; Sánchez, M C; Rondón, C; Montoro, J; Matheu, V; Lluch-Bernal, M; González, R; Fernández-Parra, B; Del Cuvillo, A; Dávila, I; Colás, C; Campo, P; Antón, E; Navarro, A M

    2016-01-01

    Food allergy and respiratory allergy are two frequently associated diseases and with an increasing prevalence. Several reports show the presence of respiratory symptoms in patients with food allergy, while certain foods may be related to the development or exacerbation of allergic rhinitis and asthma. The present update focuses on this relationship, revealing a pathogenic and clinical association between food and respiratory allergy. This association is even more intense when the food hypersensitivity is persistent or starts in the early years of life. Food allergy usually precedes respiratory allergy and may be a risk factor for allergic rhinitis and asthma, becoming a relevant clinical marker for severe atopic asthma. Furthermore, the presence of co-existing asthma may enhance life-threatening symptoms occurring during a food allergic reaction. Recommendations for dietary restrictions during pregnancy and breastfeeding to prevent the development of respiratory allergy are controversial and not supported by consistent scientific data. Current recommendations from medical societies propose exclusive breastfeeding during the first four months of life, with the introduction of solid food in the fourth to the seventh month period of life. A delayed introduction of solid food after this period may increase the risk of developing subsequent allergic conditions. Further studies are encouraged to avoid unjustified recommendations involving useless dietary restrictions. Copyright © 2015 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  15. Food Allergies: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page please turn Javascript on. Feature: Food Allergies Food Allergies: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment Past Issues / Spring ... treatments only ease the symptoms. Preventing a food allergy reaction There are no drugs or treatments available ...

  16. Apple allergy across Europe: how allergen sensitization profiles determine the clinical expression of allergies to plant foods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fernández-Rivas, Montserrat; Bolhaar, Suzanne; González-Mancebo, Eloina; Asero, Riccardo; van Leeuwen, Astrid; Bohle, Barbara; Ma, Yan; Ebner, Christof; Rigby, Neil; Sancho, Ana I.; Miles, Susan; Zuidmeer, Laurian; Knulst, André; Breiteneder, Heimo; Mills, Clare; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, Karin; van Ree, Ronald

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Allergy to a plant food can either result from direct sensitization to that food or from primary sensitization to pollen, latex, or another food. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the primary sensitizers in apple allergy across Europe, the individual allergens involved, and whether

  17. Early life exposure to bisphenol A investigated in mouse models of airway allergy, food allergy and oral tolerance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nygaard, Unni Cecilie; Vinje, Nina Eriksen; Samuelsen, Mari; Andreassen, Monica; Groeng, Else-Carin; Bølling, Anette Kocbach; Becher, Rune; Lovik, Martinus; Bodin, Johanna

    2015-09-01

    The impact of early life exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) through drinking water was investigated in mouse models of respiratory allergy, food allergy and oral tolerance. Balb/c mice were exposed to BPA (0, 10 or 100 μg/ml), and the offspring were intranasally exposed to the allergen ovalbumin (OVA). C3H/HeJ offspring were sensitized with the food allergen lupin by intragastric gavage, after exposure to BPA (0, 1, 10 or 100 μg/ml). In separate offspring, oral tolerance was induced by gavage of 5 mg lupin one week before entering the protocol for the food allergy induction. In the airway allergy model, BPA (100 μg/ml) caused increased eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and a trend of increased OVA-specific IgE levels. In the food allergy and tolerance models, BPA did not alter the clinical anaphylaxis or antibody responses, but induced alterations in splenocyte cytokines and decreased mouse mast cell protease (MMCP)-1 serum levels. In conclusion, early life exposure to BPA through drinking water modestly augmented allergic responses in a mouse model of airway allergy only at high doses, and not in mouse models for food allergy and tolerance. Thus, our data do not support that BPA promotes allergy development at exposure levels relevant for humans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Prevalence of food allergy in infants and pre-schoolers in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, L C P; Guimarães, T C P; Silva, R M; Cheik, M F A; de Ramos Nápolis, A C; Barbosa E Silva, G; Segundo, G R S

    Food allergy is an increasing problem in public health, especially in childhood. Its incidence has increased in the last decade. Despite this, estimates of the actual incidence and prevalence are uncertain. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of food allergy in infants and pre-schoolers. The parents of 3897 children completed questionnaires on the occurrence of any reaction to food. Children with parentally reported reactions were selected for further examination including a clinical interview, physical examination, allergic tests, and if necessary, oral food challenge to conclude the diagnosis of FA. The estimated prevalence of allergy in children aged 4-59 months was 0.61%, being, 1.9% in infants and 0.4% in pre-schoolers. Among the 604 patients physicians evaluated with parent-reported FA, 24 (4%) had a confirmed diagnosis of food allergy, and 580 (96%) were excluded in the remaining. Of these, approximately half (51/52.6%) of 97 infants and (128/48%) of 487 pre-schoolers already performed the diet exclusion suspected food for a period of time. This study shows that high overall prevalence of parental belief of current food allergy however the same was not observed in the in physician-diagnosed food allergy. The prevalence of food allergy was lower than that observed in the literature. This study alerts health professionals to the risk entailed by overestimation of cases of food allergy and unnecessary dietary exclusion, which may result in impairment in growth and development of children, especially in their first years of life. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  19. Food allergy to apple and specific immunotherapy with birch pollen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, K.S.; Khinchi, M.S.; Skov, P.S.

    2004-01-01

    Conflicting results concerning the effect of specific pollen immunotherapy (SIT) on allergy to plant foods have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SIT using a birch pollen extract on food allergy with focus on allergy to apple. Seventy-four birch pollen-allergic......Conflicting results concerning the effect of specific pollen immunotherapy (SIT) on allergy to plant foods have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SIT using a birch pollen extract on food allergy with focus on allergy to apple. Seventy-four birch pollen......-allergic patients were included in a double-blind, double-dummy, and placebo-controlled comparison of sublingual-swallow (SLIT) and subcutaneous (SCIT) administration of a birch pollen extract. Sixty-nine percent of these patients reported allergy to apple. The clinical reactivity to apple was evaluated by open...... oral challenges with fresh apple and a questionnaire. The immunoglobulin E (IgE)-reactivity was assessed by skin prick test (SPT), specific IgE, and leukocyte histamine release (HR). Forty patients were included in the final evaluation of the effect of SIT. The challenges were positive in 9 (SCIT), 6...

  20. Safety, clinical, and immunologic efficacy of a Chinese herbal medicine (Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2) for food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Julie; Jones, Stacie M; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Song, Ying; Yang, Nan; Sicherer, Scott H; Makhija, Melanie M; Robison, Rachel G; Moshier, Erin; Godbold, James; Sampson, Hugh A; Li, Xiu-Min

    2015-10-01

    Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) is a 9-herb formula based on traditional Chinese medicine that blocks peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model. In phase I studies FAHF-2 was found to be safe and well tolerated. We sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of FAHF-2 as a treatment for food allergy. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study 68 subjects aged 12 to 45 years with allergies to peanut, tree nut, sesame, fish, and/or shellfish, which were confirmed by baseline double-blind, placebo-controlled oral food challenges (DBPCFCs), received FAHF-2 (n = 46) or placebo (n = 22). After 6 months of therapy, subjects underwent DBPCFCs. For those who demonstrated increases in the eliciting dose, a repeat DBPCFC was performed 3 months after stopping therapy. Treatment was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events. By using intent-to-treat analysis, the placebo group had a higher eliciting dose and cumulative dose (P = .05) at the end-of-treatment DBPCFC. There was no difference in the requirement for epinephrine to treat reactions (P = .55). There were no significant differences in allergen-specific IgE and IgG4 levels, cytokine production by PBMCs, or basophil activation between the active and placebo groups. In vitro immunologic studies performed on subjects' baseline PBMCs incubated with FAHF-2 and food allergen produced significantly less IL-5, greater IL-10 levels, and increased numbers of regulatory T cells than untreated cells. Notably, 44% of subjects had poor drug adherence for at least one third of the study period. FAHF-2 is a safe herbal medication for subjects with food allergy and shows favorable in vitro immunomodulatory effects; however, efficacy for improving tolerance to food allergens is not demonstrated at the dose and duration used. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Artificial sweeteners and mixture of food additives cause to break oral tolerance and induce food allergy in murine oral tolerance model for food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamashita, H; Matsuhara, H; Miotani, S; Sako, Y; Matsui, T; Tanaka, H; Inagaki, N

    2017-09-01

    Processed foods are part of daily life. Almost all processed foods contain food additives such as sweeteners, preservatives and colourants. From childhood, it is difficult to avoid consuming food additives. It is thought that oral tolerance for food antigens is acquired during early life. If tolerance fails, adverse immune responses to food proteins may occur. We hypothesized that food additives prevent acquisition of oral tolerance and aimed to verify the safety of food additives. We induced experimental oral tolerance in mice for ovalbumin (OVA), a food antigen, by previous oral treatment with OVA before sensitization with OVA injections. Food additives were administered at the induction of oral tolerance, and food allergy was induced by repeated administration of OVA. Symptoms of food allergy were defined as a change in body temperature and allergic diarrhoea. Saccharin sodium and a mixture of food additives inhibited acquisition of oral tolerance. Hypothermia and allergic diarrhoea with elevation of OVA-specific IgE were induced in the murine model of oral tolerance. Analyses of antigen-presenting cells in mesenteric lymph nodes showed that food additives affected their manner of migration. Additionally, food additives decreased the proportion of CD25 hi regulatory T cells among CD4 + T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. A large amount of food additives may prevent acquisition of oral tolerance. Intake of food additives in early life may increase the risk of food allergies. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Food Allergy and Anxiety and Depression among Ethnic Minority Children and Their Caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodwin, Renee D; Rodgin, Sandra; Goldman, Rachel; Rodriguez, Juliana; deVos, Gabriele; Serebrisky, Denise; Feldman, Jonathan M

    2017-08-01

    To investigate the relationship between food allergy and symptoms of anxiety and depression among ethnic minority, low socioeconomic status (SES) children and their caregivers. Pediatric patients ages 4-12 years with and without food allergy and their caregivers were recruited from urban pediatric outpatient clinics. Statistical analyses were used to examine the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression among patients and their caregivers with and without food allergy, adjusting for asthma. Eighty patients ranging from ages 4 to 12 years, with a mean age of 8.1 years, and their caregivers participated in the study. Food allergy was associated with significantly higher t scores on the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) Total (P = .007), MASC Humiliation Rejection, (P = .02) and MASC Social Anxiety (P = .02) among pediatric patients, adjusting for asthma. Food allergy was not associated with child depression symptoms, nor was there a significant difference in anxiety or depression symptoms among caregivers of patients with and without food allergy. Food allergy appears to be associated with increased symptoms of social anxiety and higher levels of anxiety overall, but not depression, in ethnic minority children of lower socioeconomic status. This finding was not due to confounding by asthma. Food allergy was not associated with higher levels of depression or anxiety symptoms among caregivers of pediatric patients with food allergy. Future studies should investigate potential pathways between food allergy and anxiety that may be unique to children in underserved populations, and develop interventions to reduce anxiety in children with food allergy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The prevalence of plant food allergies: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuidmeer, Laurian; Goldhahn, Klaus; Rona, Roberto J.; Gislason, David; Madsen, Charlotte; Summers, Colin; Sodergren, Eva; Dahlstrom, Jorgen; Lindner, Titia; Sigurdardottir, Sigurveig T.; McBride, Doreen; Keil, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty regarding the prevalence of allergies to plant food. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of allergies to plant food according to the different subjective and objective assessment methods. METHODS: Our systematic search of population-based studies (since 1990) in the

  4. Racial and ethnic disparity in food allergy in the United States: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenhawt, Matthew; Weiss, Christopher; Conte, Marisa L; Doucet, Marlie; Engler, Amy; Camargo, Carlos A

    2013-01-01

    The prevalence of food allergy is rising among US children. Little is known about racial/ethnic disparities in food allergy. We performed a systematic literature review to understand racial/ethnic disparities in food allergy in the United States. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus for original data about racial/ethnic disparities in the diagnosis, prevalence, treatment, or clinical course of food allergy or sensitization, with a particular focus on black (African American) race. Articles were analyzed by study methodology, racial/ethnic composition, food allergy definition, outcomes, summary statistic used, and covariate adjustment. Twenty of 645 identified articles met inclusion criteria. The studies used multiple differing criteria to define food allergy, including self-report, sensitization assessed by serum food-specific IgE to selected foods without corroborating history, discharge codes, clinic chart review, and event-reporting databases. None used oral food challenge. In 12 studies, black persons (primarily children) had significantly increased adjusted odds of food sensitization or significantly higher proportion or odds of food allergy by self-report, discharge codes, or clinic-based chart review than white children. Major differences in study methodology and reporting precluded calculation of a pooled estimate of effect. Sparse and methodologically limited data exist about racial/ethnic disparity in food allergy in the United States. Available data lack a common definition for food allergy and use indirect measures of allergy, not food challenge. Although data suggest an increased risk of food sensitization, self-reported allergy, or clinic-based diagnosis of food allergy among black children, no definitive racial/ethnic disparity could be found among currently available studies. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Towards a food allergy free world

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Houben, G.

    2016-01-01

    The international food industry appreciates the benefits of sharing its research load via collaborative programs with partners. TNO offers you the opportunity to participate in its strategic Shared Research Program (SRP) ‘Towards a Food Allergy Free World’.

  6. Eosinophilic airway inflammation is increased in children with asthma and food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Neeta; Ragazzo, Vincenzo; Costella, Silvia; Piacentini, Giorgio; Boner, Attilio; O'Callaghan, Christopher; Fiocchi, Alessandro; Kantar, Ahmad

    2012-02-01

    Asthma is associated with food allergies in a significant number of children, with evidence linking allergies to asthma severity and morbidity. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that the eosinophilic lower airway inflammation is higher in asthmatic children with food allergies. The aims of the study were to compare the eosinophilic inflammatory markers in asthmatic children with and without food allergies. Children with asthma, with (n = 22) and (n = 53) without food allergies were included. All subjects were classified according to the GINA guidelines (2009) and had received at least 3 months of anti-inflammatory therapy prior to testing. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide and sputum differential counts were performed using standard techniques.   Children with asthma and food allergies had significantly higher fractional exhaled nitric oxide median (range) [(22.4 (6.1-86.9) vs. 10.3 (2.7-38.7) (p = 0.01)] and sputum eosinophil percentage [15.5 (5.0-53.0) vs. 2.0 (0-20) (p allergies. These results suggest that the children with asthma and food allergies have increased eosinophilic inflammation of the airways. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  7. Allergen immunotherapy for IgE-mediated food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nurmatov, Ulugbek; Dhami, S; Arasi, S.

    2017-01-01

    Background: The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is developing Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for IgE-mediated Food Allergy. To inform the development of clinical recommendations, we sought to critically assess evidence on the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness...... economic analyses. Conclusions: AIT may be effective in raising the threshold of reactivity to a range of foods in children with IgE-mediated food allergy whilst receiving (i.e. desensitization) and post-discontinuation of AIT. It is, however, associated with a modest increased risk in serious systemic...... adverse reactions and a substantial increase in minor local adverse reactions. More data are needed in relation to adults, long term effects, the impact on QoL and the cost-effectiveness of AIT....

  8. Is caesarean delivery associated with sensitization to food allergens and IgE-mediated food allergy: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koplin, Jennifer; Allen, Katie; Gurrin, Lyle; Osborne, Nicholas; Tang, Mimi L K; Dharmage, Shyamali

    2008-12-01

    Several studies have shown differences in the composition of the gastrointestinal flora of children who develop sensitization to food allergens compared with non-allergic children. It has been hypothesized that changes in the gut microbiota resulting from caesarean section delivery could increase a child's risk of developing food allergy; however, studies examining the relationship between mode of delivery and food allergy have produced conflicting results. The objective of this review was to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support an association between delivery by caesarean section and the development of sensitization to food allergens and immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated food allergy. Using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, MEDLINE and PubMed were searched for studies investigating the relationship between caesarean section delivery and food allergy. The information on the quality of the studies and results were extracted and analysed systematically. The search identified four relevant studies as per our protocol. Symptomatic food allergy was used as the outcome in two studies and was found to occur more frequently in children born by caesarean section in one study while the second study found no association between food allergy diagnoses and mode of delivery. The other two studies measured levels of food antigen-specific IgE, with both studies showing an increase in sensitization to food allergens among children born by caesarean section. Overall, there is evidence that the risk of developing IgE-mediated sensitization to food allergens is increased among children delivered by caesarean section, however further studies using objectively diagnosed food allergy as the outcome are needed to verify whether this equates to an increase in confirmed food allergy. Future birth cohort studies should control for the effects of mode of delivery when investigating environmental modifiers of food allergy.

  9. A retrospective chart review to identify perinatal factors associated with food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowhower Karpa, Kelly; Paul, Ian M; Leckie, J Alexander; Shung, Sharon; Carkaci-Salli, Nurgul; Vrana, Kent E; Mauger, David; Fausnight, Tracy; Poger, Jennifer

    2012-10-19

    Gut flora are important immunomodulators that may be disrupted in individuals with atopic conditions. Probiotic bacteria have been suggested as therapeutic modalities to mitigate or prevent food allergic manifestations. We wished to investigate whether perinatal factors known to disrupt gut flora increase the risk of IgE-mediated food allergies. Birth records obtained from 192 healthy children and 99 children diagnosed with food allergies were reviewed retrospectively. Data pertaining to delivery method, perinatal antibiotic exposure, neonatal nursery environment, and maternal variables were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between variables of interest and subsequent food allergy diagnosis. Retrospective investigation did not find perinatal antibiotics, NICU admission, or cesarean section to be associated with increased risk of food allergy diagnosis. However, associations between food allergy diagnosis and male gender (66 vs. 33; p=0.02) were apparent in this cohort. Additionally, increasing maternal age at delivery was significantly associated with food allergy diagnosis during childhood (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.017 to 1.105; p=0.005). Gut flora are potent immunomodulators, but their overall contribution to immune maturation remains to be elucidated. Additional understanding of the interplay between immunologic, genetic, and environmental factors underlying food allergy development need to be clarified before probiotic therapeutic interventions can routinely be recommended for prevention or mitigation of food allergies. Such interventions may be well-suited in male infants and in infants born to older mothers.

  10. Growth comparison in children with and without food allergies in 2 different demographic populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Harshna; Ramesh, Manish; Feuille, Elizabeth; Groetch, Marion; Wang, Julie

    2014-10-01

    To examine the effects of food avoidance on the growth of children with food allergies. A retrospective chart review was performed for children with and without food allergies followed at 2 New York City general pediatric practices. Charts were selected based on codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, for well child visit, food allergy, anaphylaxis, and/or epinephrine autoinjector prescriptions. Heights and weights were obtained to calculate body mass index, height, and weight z-scores. Of the 9938 children seen, 439 (4.4%) were avoiding one or more foods. Of those with commercial insurance, children with food allergies were significantly shorter (mean height z-score = 0.06; P = .01) and weighed less (mean weight z-score -0.1; P = .006) than children without food allergies (mean height z-score = 0.42; mean weight z-score = 0.07). In contrast, children with food allergies and state insurance were not smaller in height or weight compared with children without food allergies. Among white subjects, there was a significant effect of food allergies on height and weight (ANOVA for height P = .012, for weight P = .0036) that was not observed for Hispanic/Latino, black, or Asian subjects. Children with allergies to milk weighed significantly less than children without milk allergies (P = .0006). Children with food allergies and commercial insurance have significant impairment in growth compared with those without food allergies. Additionally, children avoiding all forms of milk are shorter and weigh less than matched counterparts. Therefore, height and weight measurements should be assessed routinely in children with food allergies because there is risk for growth impairment in this population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Food Allergy and Quality of Life : What Have We Learned?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Velde, Jantina L.; Dubois, Anthony E. J.; Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.

    2013-01-01

    Health-related quality of life (HRQL) has become an emerging focus of interest in food allergy. Food allergy is a disease characterized by low mortality and symptoms which only occur during an allergic reaction. However, food-allergic patients continuously need to be alert when eating in order to

  12. Lettuce Allergy Is a Lipid Transfer Syndrome-Related Food Allergy With a High Risk of Severe Reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muñoz-García, E; Luengo-Sánchez, O; Moreno-Pérez, N; Cuesta-Herranz, J; Pastor-Vargas, C; Cardona, V

    Lipid transfer protein (LTP) sensitization is the most common cause of food allergy in the Mediterranean area, with peach allergy acting as the primary sensitizer in most cases. Lettuce has been described as a common offending food in patients with LTP syndrome. The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency and clinical expression of LTP syndrome in a sample of lettuceallergic patients. We determined specific IgE to Pru p 3 and lettuce in a sample of 30 patients with a diagnosis of lettuce allergy. Symptoms elicited by other LTP-containing plant-derived foods and the presence of cofactors were assessed. The clinical symptoms of lettuce allergy were frequently severe, with 18 of the 30 patients experiencing anaphylaxis. All the patients had allergic reactions to other plant foods. Cofactors were involved in the clinical reactions of 13 of the 30 patients. Sensitization to pollens was found in 90% of patients. Lettuce allergy is found not as an isolated condition but in the context of LTP syndrome and it is characterized by severe reactions and frequent cofactor association.

  13. The impact of food allergy on household level

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voordouw, J.

    2010-01-01

    Adverse reactions to food can be caused by food hypersensitivity. Prominent examples include food allergy or food intolerance. Patients suffering from food hypersensitivity have inappropriate autoimmune system reactions to potentially harmless food components. Symptoms can vary from uncomfortable

  14. Assessing the readiness of a school system to adopt food allergy management guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldredge, Christina; Patterson, Leslie; White, Brenda; Schellhase, Kenneth

    2014-08-01

    The prevalence of potentially fatal food allergies in school-aged children is rising. It is important for schools to have a food allergy management policy and an emergency action plan for each affected student. To examine the current status of food allergy guideline and/or policy implementation and adoption in a large school system in southeastern Wisconsin. A 24-item anonymous electronic survey was developed and completed by school principals and administrators in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee School System (approximately 125 schools) in southeastern Wisconsin. One in 4 responding schools reported no guidelines or policy. Schools that reported having students with special needs due to food allergy were more likely to have a local food allergy policy compared to schools that did not report having students with food allergy special needs (OR 6.3, 1.5-26, P = 0.01). Schools with food allergy guidelines/policies were 3.5 times more likely to require student individual action plans than schools with no guidelines or policies (OR 3.5, 1.00-12.2, P = 0.05). Gaps in evidence-based food allergy policy implementation were found in this school system. Schools with food-allergic children with special needs were more likely to have guidelines/policy, however, they were not more likely to require emergency action plans. The majority of schools (66, 90%) reported interest in receiving further information or training on food allergy management.

  15. South African food allergy consensus document 2014

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    for the South African Food Allergy Working Group (SAFAWG) .... [21] The choice of allergens to be tested should ... no clear cause and effect between ingestion of food and symptoms. ... cultural views, and the cost and palatability of the food.

  16. Managing Food Allergies at School: School Mental Health Professionals

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2015-01-20

    This podcast highlights the role of school mental health professionals in the management of food allergies in schools. It also identifies CDC food allergy resources for schools.  Created: 1/20/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/20/2015.

  17. Epidemiology, diagnosis and management of food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Le, T.T.M.

    2013-01-01

    This thesis describes the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of food allergy. Epidemiology This thesis shows that the prevalence of self-reported adverse food reactions in children and adults was high: 17-25% for all foods and 10-11% for 24 preselected, so-called priority foods. The prevalence

  18. INTRODUCTION OF COMPLEMENTARY FOODS AND FOOD ALLERGIES: NEW STUDIES AND MODERN CLINICAL GUIDELINES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leyla S. Namazova-Baranova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is devoted  to the issues  of introducing  complementary  foods  as prevention  of atopy  and diet therapy in children with food allergy. Food sensibilization,  as a rule, is the initial link of allergy manifestations.  It represents  the first step of the so-called atopic  march,  followed  by  possible  development  of more  severe,  including  respiratory,  manifestations.  Considering  the  fact  that allergic diseases  are currently one of the most common pathologies with a growing tendency,  the correct choice of foods and the timely introduction of complementary foods are relevant, especially for children with hereditary tainted allergies. These products should be as safe as possible, should not cause sensibilization and at the same time should provide the child with the necessary macroand micronutrients. The publication provides an overview of the most relevant studies conducted in this field as well as a modern approach based on evidence-based  medicine and presented in the clinical guidelines on food allergy in children developed and approved by the professional association «Union of Pediatricians of Russia».

  19. Oral immunotherapy for food allergy: mechanisms and role in management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowak-Węgrzyn, A; Albin, S

    2015-02-01

    With the emergence of food allergy as an important public health problem, it has become clear that there is an unmet need in regard to treatment. In particular, IgE-mediated food allergy that is associated with risk of fatal anaphylaxis has been the subject of multiple studies in the past decade. The growing body of evidence derived from multiple centres and various study designs indicates that for IgE-mediated food allergy, immunomodulation through food immunotherapy is possible; however, the extent of protection afforded by such treatment is highly variable. At this time, the capacity for food immunotherapy to restore permanent tolerance to food has not been demonstrated conclusively. This review will discuss these topics as they apply to the most important studies of food oral immunotherapy. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Asthma and food allergy management in Chicago Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Ruchi S; Rivkina, Victoria; DeSantiago-Cardenas, Lilliana; Smith, Bridget; Harvey-Gintoft, Blair; Whyte, Stephanie A

    2014-10-01

    This study aimed to characterize asthma and food allergy reporting and management in Chicago Public Schools. Demographic and health data for students who have asthma and food allergy were extracted from the Chicago Public Schools database. Demographic and geographic variability and the existence of school health management plans were analyzed, and multiple logistic regression models were computed. Home addresses were geocoded to create maps of case counts per community area. Approximately 18,000 asthmatic and 4000 food allergic students were identified. Of asthmatic students, 9.3% had a food allergy; of food allergic students, 40.1% had asthma. Asthma odds were significantly higher among black and Hispanic students (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3 and 1.3, respectively), whereas food allergy odds were significantly higher among black students (OR = 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.3) and significantly lower among Hispanic students (OR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9). Only 24.3% of students who had asthma and 50.9% of students who had food allergy had a school health management plan on file. Odds of having a school health management plan were significantly higher among students with both conditions, but the likelihood of having a plan on file was significantly lower among racial/ethnic minority and low-income students, regardless of medical condition. Only 1 in 4 students who have asthma and half of food allergic students have health management plans in schools, with lower numbers among minority and low-income students. Improving chronic disease reporting and access to school health management plans is critical. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  1. Quality of life in food allergy : valid scales for children and adults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; Dubois, Anthony E. J.

    Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to give an overview of how health-related quality of life (HRQL) can be measured in food allergy and to explore recent findings on how food allergy might impact HRQL. Recent findings In addition to the more familiar burdens of having a food allergy,

  2. Are children and adolescents with food allergies at increased risk for psychopathology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanahan, Lilly; Zucker, Nancy; Copeland, William E; Costello, E Jane; Angold, Adrian

    2014-12-01

    Living with food allergy is a unique and potentially life-threatening stressor that requires constant vigilance to food-related stimuli, but little is known about whether adolescents with food allergies are at increased risk for psychopathology-concurrently and over time. Data came from the prospective-longitudinal Great Smoky Mountains Study. Adolescents (N=1420) were recruited from the community, and interviewed up to six times between ages 10 and 16 for the purpose of the present analyses. At each assessment, adolescents and one parent were interviewed using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment, resulting in N=5165 pairs of interviews. Cross-sectionally, food allergies were associated with more symptoms of separation and generalized anxiety, disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and anorexia nervosa. Longitudinally, adolescents with food allergy experienced increases in symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and depression from one assessment to the next. Food allergies were not, however, associated with a higher likelihood of meeting diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder. The unique constellation of adolescents' increased symptoms of psychopathology in the context of food allergy likely reflects an adaptive increase in vigilance rather than cohesive syndromes of psychopathology. Support and guidance from health care providers is needed to help adolescents with food allergies and their caregivers achieve an optimal balance between necessary vigilance and hypervigilance and unnecessary restriction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Extracellular vesicle-derived protein from Bifidobacterium longum alleviates food allergy through mast cell suppression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jung-Hwan; Jeun, Eun-Ji; Hong, Chun-Pyo; Kim, Seong-Hoon; Jang, Min Seong; Lee, Eun-Jung; Moon, Sook Jin; Yun, Chang Ho; Im, Sin-Hyeog; Jeong, Seok-Geun; Park, Beom-Young; Kim, Kyong-Tai; Seoh, Ju-Young; Kim, Yoon-Keun; Oh, Sung-Jong; Ham, Jun-Sang; Yang, Bo-Gie; Jang, Myoung Ho

    2016-02-01

    The incidence of food allergies has increased dramatically during the last decade. Recently, probiotics have been studied for the prevention and treatment of allergic disease. We examined whether Bifidobacterium longum KACC 91563 and Enterococcus faecalis KACC 91532 have the capacity to suppress food allergies. B longum KACC 91563 and E faecalis KACC 91532 were administered to BALB/c wild-type mice, in which food allergy was induced by using ovalbumin and alum. Food allergy symptoms and various immune responses were assessed. B longum KACC 91563, but not E faecalis KACC 91532, alleviated food allergy symptoms. Extracellular vesicles of B longum KACC 91563 bound specifically to mast cells and induced apoptosis without affecting T-cell immune responses. Furthermore, injection of family 5 extracellular solute-binding protein, a main component of extracellular vesicles, into mice markedly reduced the occurrence of diarrhea in a mouse food allergy model. B longum KACC 91563 induces apoptosis of mast cells specifically and alleviates food allergy symptoms. Accordingly, B longum KACC 91563 and family 5 extracellular solute-binding protein exhibit potential as therapeutic approaches for food allergies. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Dealing with food allergies in babies and children

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Joneja, Janice M. Vickerstaff

    2007-01-01

    ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 CHAPTER 3 PreventionofFoodAllergy...33 CHAPTER 4 Symptoms of Food Sensitivity in Babies and Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 CHAPTER 5 Diagnosis...

  5. Prevalence of common food allergies in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nwaru, B I; Hickstein, L; Panesar, S S

    2014-01-01

    Allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish constitutes the majority of food allergy reactions, but reliable estimates of their prevalence are lacking. This systematic review aimed to provide up-to-date estimates of their prevalence in Europe.Studies published...... synthesis and 42 studies in the meta-analyses. Although there were significant heterogeneity between the studies, the overall pooled estimates for all age groups of self-reported lifetime prevalence of allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish were 6.0% (95% confidence...... interval: 5.7-6.4), 2.5% (2.3-2.7), 3.6% (3.0-4.2), 0.4% (0.3-0.6), 1.3% (1.2-1.5), 2.2% (1.8-2.5), and 1.3% (0.9-1.7), respectively. The prevalence of food-challenge-defined allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish was 0.6% (0.5-0.8), 0.2% (0.2-0.3), 0.1% (0...

  6. EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines. Protecting consumers with food allergies: understanding food consumption, meeting regulations and identifying unmet needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muraro, A; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K; Holzhauser, T; Poulsen, L K; Gowland, M H; Akdis, C A; Mills, E N C; Papadopoulos, N; Roberts, G; Schnadt, S; van Ree, R; Sheikh, A; Vieths, S

    2014-11-01

    Individuals suffering from IgE-mediated food allergy usually have to practise life-long food allergen avoidance. This document aims to provide an overview of recent evidence-based recommendations for allergen risk assessment and management in the food industry and discusses unmet needs and expectations of the food allergic consumer in that context. There is a general duty of care on the food industry and obligations in European Union legislation to reduce and manage the presence of allergens alongside other food hazards. Current evidence enables quantification of allergen reference doses used to set-up reliable food safety management plans for some foods. However, further work is required to include a wider variety of foods and to understand the impact of the food matrix as well as additional factors which affect the progression and severity of symptoms as a function of dose. Major concerns have been raised by patients, carers and patient groups about the use of precautionary 'may contain' labelling to address the issue of unintended presence of allergens; these therefore need to be reconsidered. New and improved allergen detection methods should be evaluated for their application in food production. There is an urgent requirement for effective communication between healthcare professionals, patient organizations, food industry representatives and regulators to develop a better approach to protecting consumers with food allergies. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Automated identification of drug and food allergies entered using non-standard terminology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epstein, Richard H; St Jacques, Paul; Stockin, Michael; Rothman, Brian; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M; Denny, Joshua C

    2013-01-01

    An accurate computable representation of food and drug allergy is essential for safe healthcare. Our goal was to develop a high-performance, easily maintained algorithm to identify medication and food allergies and sensitivities from unstructured allergy entries in electronic health record (EHR) systems. An algorithm was developed in Transact-SQL to identify ingredients to which patients had allergies in a perioperative information management system. The algorithm used RxNorm and natural language processing techniques developed on a training set of 24 599 entries from 9445 records. Accuracy, specificity, precision, recall, and F-measure were determined for the training dataset and repeated for the testing dataset (24 857 entries from 9430 records). Accuracy, precision, recall, and F-measure for medication allergy matches were all above 98% in the training dataset and above 97% in the testing dataset for all allergy entries. Corresponding values for food allergy matches were above 97% and above 93%, respectively. Specificities of the algorithm were 90.3% and 85.0% for drug matches and 100% and 88.9% for food matches in the training and testing datasets, respectively. The algorithm had high performance for identification of medication and food allergies. Maintenance is practical, as updates are managed through upload of new RxNorm versions and additions to companion database tables. However, direct entry of codified allergy information by providers (through autocompleters or drop lists) is still preferred to post-hoc encoding of the data. Data tables used in the algorithm are available for download. A high performing, easily maintained algorithm can successfully identify medication and food allergies from free text entries in EHR systems.

  8. Equine allergy therapy: update on the treatment of environmental, insect bite hypersensitivity, and food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsella, Rosanna

    2013-12-01

    Allergies are common in horses. It is important to identify and correct as many factors as possible to control pruritus and make the patient comfortable. Culicoides hypersensitivity is a common component in allergic horses. The main treatment continues to be rigorous fly control and avoidance of insect bites. Environmental allergies are best addressed by early identification of the offending allergens and formulation of allergen-specific immunotherapy to decrease the need for rescue medications. Food allergy is best managed with food avoidance. Urticaria is one of the manifestations of allergic disease wherein detection of the triggering cause is essential for management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Fecal Microbiome and Food Allergy in Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fieten, Karin B; Totté, Joan E E; Levin, Evgeni; Reyman, Marta; Meijer, Yolanda; Knulst, André; Schuren, Frank; Pasmans, Suzanne G M A

    2018-01-01

    Exposure to microbes may be important in the development of atopic disease. Atopic diseases have been associated with specific characteristics of the intestinal microbiome. The link between intestinal microbiota and food allergy has rarely been studied, and the gold standard for diagnosing food allergy (double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge [DBPCFC]) has seldom been used. We aimed to distinguish fecal microbial signatures for food allergy in children with atopic dermatitis (AD). Pediatric patients with AD, with and without food allergy, were included in this cross-sectional observational pilot study. AD was diagnosed according to the UK Working Party criteria. Food allergy was defined as a positive DBPCFC or a convincing clinical history, in combination with sensitization to the relevant food allergen. Fecal samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA microbial analysis. Microbial signature species, discriminating between the presence and absence food allergy, were selected by elastic net regression. Eighty-two children with AD (39 girls) with a median age of 2.5 years, and 20 of whom were diagnosed with food allergy, provided fecal samples. Food allergy to peanut and cow's milk was the most common. Six bacterial species from the fecal microbiome were identified, that, when combined, distinguished between children with and without food allergy: Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Escherichia coli, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Akkermansia muciniphila (AUC 0.83, sensitivity 0.77, specificity 0.80). In this pilot study, we identified a microbial signature in children with AD that discriminates between the absence and presence of food allergy. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings. © 2018 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Management of Food Allergy in Japan “Food Allergy Management Guideline 2008 (Revision from 2005” and “Guidelines for the Treatment of Allergic Diseases in Schools”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Motohiro Ebisawa

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available In 2005, the “Food Allergy Management Guideline 2005” was published. In order to encompass food allergy from infancy to adulthood, the project committee included not only pediatricians, but also internists, dermatologists, and otolaryngologists. After the release of the guideline, oral food challenge tests were approved as a medical examination on hospital admission by the national health insurance system in 2006, and the tests at outpatient clinics were also approved in 2008. As clearly stated in the guideline, it is essential for general practitioners to refer food allergy patients to specialists to receive accurate diagnosis. A specialist is needed because the oral food challenge test, which is sometimes required for accurate diagnosis, carries the potential risk of developing an adverse reaction. In 2008, the “Food Allergy Management Guideline 2008” was revised to update recent advances, such as the appropriate conditions needed to perform oral food challenge tests and probability curves for hen's egg and cow's milk developed in Japan. In the same year, “The Guidelines for the Treatment of Allergic Diseases in Schools” was published by the Japanese Society of School Health. In addition to the guideline, “School Life Management Certificate (for Allergic Diseases” was developed in order to allow the verification of the diagnosis and encourage the discussion of countermeasures by parents/guardians and school teachers for students requiring special care. It is hoped that this review article will be useful for doctors treating food allergy and that the quality of life of food allergy patients and their parents will be improved.

  11. Prevalence of food sensitization and probable food allergy among adults in India: the EuroPrevall INCO study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mahesh, P. A.; Wong, Gary W. K.; Ogorodova, L.; Potts, J.; Leung, T. F.; Fedorova, O.; Holla, Amrutha D.; Fernandez-Rivas, M.; Clare Mills, E. N.; Kummeling, I.; Versteeg, S. A.; van Ree, R.; Yazdanbakhsh, M.; Burney, P.

    2016-01-01

    Data are lacking regarding the prevalence of food sensitization and probable food allergy among general population in India. We report the prevalence of sensitization and probable food allergy to 24 common foods among adults from general population in Karnataka, South India. The study was conducted

  12. Severe forms of food allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emanuel Sarinho

    2017-11-01

    Conclusion: Severe food allergy may occur in the form of anaphylaxis and food‐protein‐induced enterocolitis syndrome, which are increasingly observed in the pediatric emergency room; hence, pediatricians must be alert so they can provide the immediate diagnosis and treatment.

  13. Eating out with a food allergy in the UK: Change in the eating out practices of consumers with food allergy following introduction of allergen information legislation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begen, F M; Barnett, J; Payne, R; Gowland, M H; DunnGalvin, A; Lucas, J S

    2018-03-01

    Strict allergen avoidance is important in day-to-day management of food allergy and avoidance when eating outside the home can present particular difficulties. EU legislation (EU FIC) introduced in December 2014 aimed to improve food allergen information provision for customers by requiring retailers of non-prepacked foods to provide information related to the content of one or more of 14 specified food allergens within their foods. To investigate the impact of EU FIC on the behaviours, experiences and attitudes of consumers with food allergy when eating out. As part of longitudinal research, participants with food allergy from across the UK took part in either (A) pre and post legislation in-depth interviews, or (B) pre and post legislation surveys. In-depth interviews were carried out with 28 participants pre and post legislation and analysed using the framework approach. Self-report surveys were completed by 129 participants pre and post legislation, and responses were subject to quantitative analyses. Improvements in allergen information provision and raised awareness of food allergy in eating out venues were reported following introduction of EU FIC. Whilst participants favoured written allergen information, they expressed greater confidence in communicating with eating out staff and in trusting the allergen information that they provided. Improvements were judged to be gradual, sporadic or inconsistent in implementation. For many participants, the "ideal" eating out experience was one in which a range of information resources were available and where written allergen information was complemented by proactive and accommodating staff within an allergy-aware environment. Whilst the onus is on legislators and food providers to ensure that adequate allergen information is provided, clinicians play an important role in encouraging patients with food allergy to pursue their legal right to make allergen enquiries to avoid accidental allergen ingestion when eating out

  14. Irradiated foods and allergy. From a perspective of irradiation chemistry of proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyahara, Makoto

    2003-01-01

    A change of protein in irradiated food has been known. There are a few reports on change of allergy of irradiated foods. Two kinds of allergy such as the immediate allergy (I type) and delayed allergy (IV type) are taken ill by foods. I type is related to irradiated foods. Allergen enters body through digestive tract. Anti body (IgE) is protein with from 10,000 to 100,000 molecular weight. Allergic disease is originated mainly by egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut and shrimp. When food is irradiated, the proteins are decomposed and produced higher and lower molecular compounds at the same time. Change of the viscosity and the sedimentation coefficient and deactivation of enzymes of β-lactoglobulin, cow albumin, egg albumin and casein were investigated. There is no report of increasing allergy by irradiation. However, some paper indicated that immunogenicity of protein was decreased by irradiation. (S.Y.)

  15. Getting the Facts on Food Allergy Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and the amount of time between eating a food and any reaction. An allergy skin test may determine which foods, if any, trigger your ... in a medical setting to determine if that food causes a reaction. Do not try this test at home. Anaphylaxis (pronounced an-a-fi-LAK- ...

  16. Diagnostic accuracy of patch test in children with food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caglayan Sozmen, Sule; Povesi Dascola, Carlotta; Gioia, Edoardo; Mastrorilli, Carla; Rizzuti, Laura; Caffarelli, Carlo

    2015-08-01

    The gold standard test for confirming whether a child has clinical hypersensitivity reactions to foods is the oral food challenge. Therefore, there is increasing interest in simpler diagnostic markers of food allergy, especially in children, to avoid oral food challenge. The goal of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of atopy patch test in comparison with oral food challenge. We investigated 243 children (mean age, 51 months) referred for evaluation of suspected egg or cow's milk allergy. Skin prick test and atopy patch test were carried out, and after a 2 weeks elimination diet, oral food challenge was performed. Two hundred and forty-three children underwent OFC to the suspected food. We found clinically relevant food allergies in 40 (65%) children to egg and in 22 (35%) to cow's milk. The sensitivity of skin prick test for both milk and egg was 92%, specificity 91%, positive predictive value 35%, and negative predictive value of 93%. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of atopy patch test for both milk and egg were 21%, 73%, 20%, and 74%, respectively. Our study suggests that there is insufficient evidence for the routine use of atopy patch test for the evaluation of egg and cow's milk allergy. OFC remains gold standard for the diagnosis of egg and milk allergy even in the presence of high costs in terms of both time and risks during application. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Food entries in a large allergy data repository.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plasek, Joseph M; Goss, Foster R; Lai, Kenneth H; Lau, Jason J; Seger, Diane L; Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Wickner, Paige G; Slight, Sarah P; Chang, Frank Y; Topaz, Maxim; Bates, David W; Zhou, Li

    2016-04-01

    Accurate food adverse sensitivity documentation in electronic health records (EHRs) is crucial to patient safety. This study examined, encoded, and grouped foods that caused any adverse sensitivity in a large allergy repository using natural language processing and standard terminologies. Using the Medical Text Extraction, Reasoning, and Mapping System (MTERMS), we processed both structured and free-text entries stored in an enterprise-wide allergy repository (Partners' Enterprise-wide Allergy Repository), normalized diverse food allergen terms into concepts, and encoded these concepts using the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) and Unique Ingredient Identifiers (UNII) terminologies. Concept coverage also was assessed for these two terminologies. We further categorized allergen concepts into groups and calculated the frequencies of these concepts by group. Finally, we conducted an external validation of MTERMS's performance when identifying food allergen terms, using a randomized sample from a different institution. We identified 158 552 food allergen records (2140 unique terms) in the Partners repository, corresponding to 672 food allergen concepts. High-frequency groups included shellfish (19.3%), fruits or vegetables (18.4%), dairy (9.0%), peanuts (8.5%), tree nuts (8.5%), eggs (6.0%), grains (5.1%), and additives (4.7%). Ambiguous, generic concepts such as "nuts" and "seafood" accounted for 8.8% of the records. SNOMED-CT covered more concepts than UNII in terms of exact (81.7% vs 68.0%) and partial (14.3% vs 9.7%) matches. Adverse sensitivities to food are diverse, and existing standard terminologies have gaps in their coverage of the breadth of allergy concepts. New strategies are needed to represent and standardize food adverse sensitivity concepts, to improve documentation in EHRs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For

  18. Food allergy in breastfeeding babies. Hidden allergens in human milk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Muñoz, M F; Pineda, F; García Parrado, G; Guillén, D; Rivero, D; Belver, T; Quirce, S

    2016-07-01

    Food allergy is a rare disorder among breastfeeding babies. Our aim was to identify responsible allergens in human milk. We studied babies developing allergic symptoms at the time they were breastfeeding. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed with breast milk and food allergens. Specific IgE was assessed and IgE Immunoblotting experiments with breast milk were carried out to identify food allergens. Clinical evolution was evaluated after a maternal free diet. Five babies had confirmed breast milk allergy. Peanut, white egg and/or cow's milk were demonstrated as the hidden responsible allergens. No baby returned to develop symptoms once mother started a free diet. Three of these babies showed tolerance to other food allergens identified in human milk. A maternal free diet should be recommended only if food allergy is confirmed in breastfed babies.

  19. Systematic review of nutrient intake and growth in children with multiple IgE-mediated food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sova, Cassandra; Feuling, Mary Beth; Baumler, Megan; Gleason, Linda; Tam, Jonathan S; Zafra, Heidi; Goday, Praveen S

    2013-12-01

    Food allergies affect up to 8% of American children. The current recommended treatment for food allergies is strict elimination of the allergens from the diet. Dietary elimination of nutrient-dense foods may result in inadequate nutrient intake and impaired growth. The purpose of this review was to critically analyze available research on the effect of an elimination diet on nutrient intake and growth in children with multiple food allergies. A systematic review of the literature was conducted and a workgroup was established to critically analyze each relevant article. The findings were summarized and a conclusion was generated. Six studies were analyzed. One study found that children with food allergies are more likely to be malnourished than children without food allergies. Three studies found that children with multiple food allergies were shorter than children with 1 food allergy. Four studies assessed nutrient intake of children with multiple food allergies, but the inclusion and comparison criteria were different in each of the studies and the findings were conflicting. One study found that children with food allergies who did not receive nutrition counseling were more likely to have inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D. Children with multiple food allergies have a higher risk of impaired growth and may have a higher risk of inadequate nutrient intake than children without food allergies. Until more research is available, we recommend monitoring of nutrition and growth of children with multiple food allergies to prevent possible nutrient deficiencies and to optimize growth.

  20. The Prevalence of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Pediatric Patients with IgE-Mediated Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, David A; Dudley, Jesse W; Spergel, Jonathan M

    Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic inflammatory disease that is triggered by food allergens and characterized by progressive esophageal dysfunction. Recently, EoE has been identified in patients who underwent oral immunotherapy (OIT) for IgE-mediated food allergy, suggesting an association. We sought to ascertain whether significant associations exist between IgE-mediated food allergies and EoE. Using the analysis of electronic medical record data and manual chart review, we examined our subspecialty care network of 35,528 children and adolescents to identify and characterize patients with IgE-mediated and EoE food allergy. The most common food allergens were defined, and the prevalence of EoE in patients with IgE-mediated food allergy was determined. Logistic regression was used to measure the extent to which IgE-mediated food allergy to specific foods is associated with EoE. The most common causes of EoE were milk, soy, egg, grains, and meats, an allergen pattern that is distinct from that of IgE-mediated food allergy. The prevalence of EoE in patients with IgE-mediated food allergy was higher than that reported in the general population (4.7% vs 0.04%). The distribution of IgE-mediated food allergens in patients with EoE was similar to that of the general population, and IgE-mediated allergy to egg (2.27; 1.91-2.64), milk (4.19; 3.52-4.97), or shellfish (1.55; 1.24-1.92) was significantly associated with an EoE diagnosis. Our findings support a clinical association between these conditions that has implications for the management of children with food allergy, and particular relevance to patients undergoing OIT. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Food Allergy To Wheat Proteins. Diagnostic And Treatment Difficulties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. A. Vishneva

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is dedicated to the problem of food allergy in children. The number of patients with this pathology continues to rise, which can be explained by multiple factors, which speaks for the relevance and the social importance of the matter. For food allergy, the causesignificant allergens are both simple and complex food proteins. Wheat is one of the most prevalent source of food allergens not only for children, but for adults too. The article contains the main information concerning the ley characteristics of this product; the protein content and the different roles of individual components in forming allergic reactions and cross activity are thoroughly investigated. The authors provide recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of wheat protein allergy, and various difficulties in different clinical cases are examined. The article also contains main treatment approaches, which are relevant to the modern data. An individual approach in each case means regular monitoring of the main figures, preventing the negative consequences of an eliminative diet at wheat protein allergy through using specialized gluten-free products.

  2. Application of Food-specific IgG Antibody Detection in Allergy Dermatosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yine Hu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The application of food-specific IgG antibody detection in allergy dermatoses was explored. 181 patients with allergy dermatoses were diagnosed from January to September 2014 and 20 healthy subjects were selected. Fourteen kinds of food-specific IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA method among all the subjects. The positive rates of IgG antibody of the patient group and the healthy group were respectively 65.2% and 5.0%. The positive rates of IgG antibody of egg, milk, shrimp and crab took a large proportion in three groups of patients with three kinds of allergy dermatoses of urticaria, eczema and allergic dermatitis, the proportion of which was respectively 70.2%, 77.8% and 71.7%. Among urticaria and allergic dermatitis patients with positive antibody, the positive rate of children was significantly higher than that of adults (p0.05. Allergy dermatoses are closely related to food-specific IgG antibodies, and the allergy dermatoses patients have a high incidence rate of food intolerance; detecting IgG antibody in the serum of patients is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of allergy dermatoses.

  3. New food allergies in a European non-Mediterranean region: is Cannabis sativa to blame?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebo, D G; Swerts, S; Sabato, V; Hagendorens, M M; Bridts, C H; Jorens, P G; De Clerck, L S

    2013-01-01

    Allergy to fruit and vegetables exhibit geographic variation regarding the severity of symptoms and depending on the sensitization profile of the patient. These sensitization profiles and routes remain incompletely understood. Cannabis is a very popular drug and derived from Cannabis sativa, a plant containing lipid transfer proteins (LTP) also known as important allergens in plant and fruit allergies. In this study we sought to elucidate a potential connection between C. sativa allergy and plant food allergies. A case-control study involving 21 patients consulting for plant food allergies. Twelve patients were cannabis allergic and 9 had a pollen or latex allergy without cannabis allergy. Testing for cannabis IgE implied measurement of specific IgE, skin testing and basophil activation tests. Allergen component analysis was performed with a microarray technique. Plant food allergy in patients with documented cannabis allergy had more severe reactions than patients without cannabis allergy and frequently implied fruits and vegetables that are not observed in a (birch) pollen-related food syndrome. With the exception of 1 patient with cannabis allergy, all were sensitized to nonspecific (ns)-LTP. Our data suggest that illicit cannabis abuse can result in cannabis allergy with sensitization to ns-LTP. This sensitization might result in various plant-food allergies. Additional collaborative studies in different geographical areas are needed to further elucidate on this hypothesis. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents and young adults with food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferro, M A; Van Lieshout, R J; Ohayon, J; Scott, J G

    2016-04-01

    Adolescents with food allergy have poorer psychosocial outcomes compared with their nonallergic counterparts; however, few studies have prospectively examined the mental health of adolescents and young adults in this vulnerable population. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in an epidemiological sample of adolescents and young adults with food allergy; determine whether food allergy is associated with adolescent and maternal reports of such problems; and examine the patterns of change in emotional and behavioral problems from adolescence to young adulthood among individuals with and without food allergy. Data came from 1303 participants at 14 and 21 years of age in the Mater University Study of Pregnancy. Emotional and behavioral problems were measured using self- and maternal-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. Maternal, but not self-reports suggested that emotional and behavioral problems were higher among adolescents with food allergy. Food allergy was associated with increased odds of elevated levels of maternal-reported symptoms of depression [OR = 4.50 (1.83, 11.07)], anxiety [OR = 2.68 (1.12, 6.44)], and ADHD [OR = 3.14 (1.07, 9.19)] in adolescence. Food allergy was also associated with depressive symptoms that persisted from adolescence to young adulthood [OR = 2.05 (1.04, 4.03)]. Emotional and behavioral problems, particularly symptoms of depression, anxiety, and ADHD, are common among adolescents with food allergy in the general population and, in the case of elevated levels of depressive symptoms, persist into young adulthood. Healthcare professionals should seek adolescent and parental perspectives when assessing emotional and behavioral problems and monitor mental health during the transition to adulthood. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Food allergy: practical approach on education and accidental exposure prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pádua, I; Moreira, A; Moreira, P; Barros, R

    2016-09-01

    Food allergies are a growing problem and currently the primary treatment of food allergy is avoidance of culprit foods. However, given the lack of information and education and also the ubiquitous nature of allergens, accidental exposures to food allergens are not uncommon. The fear of potential fatal reactions and the need of a proper avoidance leads in most of the cases to the limitation of leisure and social activities. This review aims to be a practical approach on education and accidental exposure prevention regarding activities like shopping, eating out, and travelling. The recommendations are focused especially on proper reading of food labels and the management of the disease, namely in restaurants and airplanes, concerning cross-contact and communication with other stakeholders. The implementation of effective tools is essential to manage food allergy outside home, avoid serious allergic reactions and minimize the disease's impact on individuals' quality of life.

  6. Food intolerance and allergy: increased incidence or contemporary inadequate diets?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Skypala, Isabel; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber

    2014-01-01

    The role of nutrients in the study of allergic disease has been studied for many years, but recent evidence suggests that it is the quality and variety of the whole diet which affects the development of food allergy. This review seeks to understand whether food allergy prevalence is increasing and

  7. Immunotherapy (oral and sublingual) for food allergy to fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yepes-Nuñez, Juan Jose; Zhang, Yuan; Roqué i Figuls, Marta; Bartra Tomas, Joan; Reyes, Juan Manuel; Pineda de la Losa, Fernando; Enrique, Ernesto

    2015-11-09

    Food allergy is an abnormal immunological response following exposure (usually ingestion) to a food. Elimination of the allergen is the principle treatment for food allergy, including allergy to fruit. Accidental ingestion of allergenic foods can result in severe anaphylactic reactions. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) is a specific treatment, when the avoidance of allergenic foods is problematic. Recently, studies have been conducted on different types of immunotherapy for the treatment of food allergy, including oral (OIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). To determine the efficacy and safety of oral and sublingual immunotherapy in children and adults with food allergy to fruits, when compared with placebo or an elimination strategy. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and AMED were searched for published results along with trial registries and the Journal of Negative Results in BioMedicine for grey literature. The date of the most recent search was July 2015. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing OIT or SLIT with placebo or an elimination diet were included. Participants were children or adults diagnosed with food allergy who presented immediate fruit reactions. We used standard methodological procedures expected by the Cochrane Collaboration. We assessed treatment effect through risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous outcomes. We identified two RCTs (N=89) eligible for inclusion. These RCTs addressed oral or sublingual immunotherapy, both in adults, with an allergy to apple or peach respectively. Both studies enrolled a small number of participants and used different methods to provide these differing types of immunotherapy. Both studies were judged to be at high risk of bias in at least one domain. Overall, the quality of evidence was judged to be very low due to the small number of studies and participants and possible bias. The studies were clinically heterogeneous and hence we did not pool the

  8. Development of a Tool to Measure Youths' Food Allergy Management Facilitators and Barriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbert, Linda Jones; Lin, Adora; Matsui, Elizabeth; Wood, Robert A; Sharma, Hemant

    2016-04-01

    This study's aims are to identify factors related to allergen avoidance and epinephrine carriage among youth with food allergy, develop a tool to measure food allergy management facilitators and barriers, and investigate its initial reliability and validity.  The Food Allergy Management Perceptions Questionnaire (FAMPQ) was developed based on focus groups with 19 adolescents and young adults with food allergy. Additional youth with food allergy (N = 92; ages: 13-21 years) completed food allergy clinical history and management questionnaires and the FAMPQ.  Internal reliability estimates for the FAMPQ Facilitators and Barriers subscales were acceptable to good. Youth who were adherent to allergen avoidance and epinephrine carriage had higher Facilitator scores. Poor adherence was more likely among youth with higher Barrier scores.  Initial FAMPQ reliability and validity is promising. Additional research is needed to develop FAMPQ clinical guidelines. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Food allergies are rarely a concern when considering vaccines for adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buyantseva, Larisa V; Horwitz, Alexandra

    2014-03-01

    Routine immunization provides protection from numerous infectious diseases and substantially reduces morbidity mortality from these diseases. In the United States, vaccination programs focused on infants and children have successfully decreased the incidence of many childhood vaccine-preventable diseases. However, vaccination coverage among adolescents has remained stagnant. Contributing to this lack of coverage is that patients with food allergies might be advised unnecessarily to avoid certain vaccinations, thus potentially causing adverse personal and community health. Studies have shown that food allergies are rarely contraindications to vaccine administration. Most adolescents who avoid vaccination because of food allergy concerns are actually able to receive their appropriate vaccinations. However, there are situations when evaluation by an allergist is recommended. In the present article, the authors provide guidance for physicians when administering vaccines to patients with food allergies to prevent adverse events and improve disease protection.

  10. Food allergy trends at the crossing among socio-economics, history and geography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiocchi, Alessandro; Dahdah, Lamia; Fierro, Vincenzo; Artesani, Maria C; Valluzzi, Rocco

    2018-06-01

    The epidemiology of food allergy did inspire theories on the reasons for the recent surge of the disease. We offer here a reasoned review on the relationships between the trajectories of human development and the trend of the food allergy epidemics. The exponential trend of the frequency of food allergy paralleled the explosive acceleration of the human development over the last few decades. Dietary factors have been indicated as responsible for these trends and targeted for potential preventive strategies. Other socio-economic factors have been related to this evolution: solar exposure, climate changes, structure of societies, reproductive choices and societal inequalities. The epidemiologic associations of food allergy suggest different causal theories. Future prevention strategies may be predicated not only on dietary interventions, but on wider programmes aimed to restore a human ecology promoting food tolerance.

  11. Analysis of food allergy in atopic dermatitis patients - association with concomitant allergic diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarmila Celakovská

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: A few reports demonstrate the comorbidity of food allergy and allergic march in adult patients. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate, if there is some relation in atopic dermatitis patients at the age 14 years and older who suffer from food allergy to common food allergens to other allergic diseases and parameters as bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, duration of atopic dermatitis, family history and onset of atopic dermatitis. Materials and Methods: Complete dermatological and allergological examination was performed; these parameters were examined: food allergy (to wheat flour, cow milk, egg, peanuts and soy, the occurrence of bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, duration of atopic dermatitis, family history and onset of atopic dermatitis. The statistical evaluation of the relations among individual parameters monitored was performed. Results: Food allergy was altogether confirmed in 65 patients (29% and these patients suffer significantly more often from bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis. Persistent atopic dermatitis lesions and positive data in family history about atopy are recorded significantly more often in patients with confirmed food allergy to examined foods as well. On the other hand, the onset of atopic dermatitis under 5 year of age is not recorded significantly more often in patients suffering from allergy to examined foods. Conclusion: Atopic dermatitis patients suffering from food allergy suffer significantly more often from allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, persistent eczematous lesions and have positive data about atopy in their family history.

  12. Guidelines for Managing Life-Threatening Food Allergies in Massachusetts Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheetz, Anne H.; Goldman, Patricia G.; Millett, Kathleen; Franks, Jane C.; McIntyre, C. Lynne; Carroll, Constance R.; Gorak, Diane; Harrison, Christanne Smith; Carrick, Michele Abu

    2004-01-01

    During the past decade, prevalence of food allergies among children increased. Caring for children with life-threatening food allergies has become a major challenge for school personnel Prior to 2002, Massachusetts did not provide clear guidelines to assist schools in providing a safe environment for these children and preparing for an emergency…

  13. Information and support from dietary consultation for mothers of children with food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacKenzie, Heather; Grundy, Jane; Glasbey, Gillian; Dean, Taraneh; Venter, Carina

    2015-01-01

    Professional dietetic input is essential to ensure that children with diagnosed food allergies have an individualized avoidance plan and nutritionally adequate diet. However, it is not clear what dietary information and support parents require. To explore what information and support parents of children with food allergies require from a dietary consultation. Focus groups were conducted with 17 mothers who attend an allergy center for dietary advice for their food allergic child. A number of issues around food allergy dietary advice needs were explored and analyzed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified. The mothers described how they sought to protect their child from harm, to maintain normality for their child, and to promote child independence. They described needing to become an expert in their child's food allergy and fight their corner when needed. The dietitian supported their needs by ensuring their child's diet was safe and nutritionally adequate and giving information and support to help them provide a normal life for their child. Dietitians also taught mothers about food allergy and provided advocacy and emotional support. Mothers of children with food allergies want to understand how to provide a nutritionally adequate, allergen-safe diet while maintaining a normal life. Hence, mothers value a range of support from dietitians, including monitoring their child's health and providing information, practical advice and support, and emotional support. Copyright © 2015 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. FAST: Towards safe and effective subcutaneous immunotherapy of persistent life-threatening food allergies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuidmeer-Jongejan, Laurian; Fernandez-Rivas, Montserrat; Poulsen, Lars K.; Neubauer, Angela; Asturias, Juan; Blom, Lars; Boye, Joyce; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten; Clausen, Michael; Ferrara, Rosa; Garosi, Paula; Huber, Hans; Jensen, Bettina M.; Koppelman, Stef; Kowalski, Marek L.; Lewandowska-Polak, Anna; Linhart, Birgit; Maillere, Bernard; Mari, Adriano; Martinez, Alberto; Mills, Clare En; Nicoletti, Claudio; Opstelten, Dirk-Jan; Papadopoulos, Nikos G.; Portoles, Antonio; Rigby, Neil; Scala, Enrico; Schnoor, Heidi J.; Sigursdottir, Sigurveig; Stavroulakis, Georg; Stolz, Frank; Swoboda, Ines; Valenta, Rudolf; van den Hout, Rob; Versteeg, Serge A.; Witten, Marianne; van Ree, Ronald

    2012-01-01

    ABSTRACT: The FAST project (Food Allergy Specific Immunotherapy) aims at the development of safe and effective treatment of food allergies, targeting prevalent, persistent and severe allergy to fish and peach. Classical allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT), using subcutaneous injections with

  15. Comparison of nutrient intake in adolescents and adults with and without food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maslin, K; Venter, C; MacKenzie, H; Vlieg-Boerstra, B; Dean, T; Sommer, I

    2018-04-01

    Exclusion diets for the management of food allergy pose a risk of nutritional deficiencies and inadequate growth in children, yet less is known about their effect in adolescents and adults. The present study aimed to compare the dietary intake of adolescents and adults with food allergies with that of a control group. A food allergic and a control group were recruited from Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight in the UK. Participants were recruited from a food allergy charity, allergy clinics, a local school and university, and previous research studies. Macro and micronutrient intake data were obtained using a 4-day estimated food diary. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data was collected via a constructed questionnaire. This cross-sectional study included 81 adolescents (48 food allergic and 33 controls) aged 11-18 years and 70 adults aged 19-65 years (23 food allergic and 47 controls). Overall, 19 (22.8%) adolescents and 19 (27.1%) adults took dietary supplements, with no difference according to food allergic status. Adolescents with food allergy had higher intakes of niacin and selenium than adolescents without (P food allergies had higher intakes of folate and zinc than those without (P food allergic status. The dietary intake of food allergic participants was broadly similar and, in some cases, better than that of control participants. However, suboptimal intakes of several micronutrients were observed across all participants, suggesting poor food choices. © 2017 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  16. Lifetime Increased Risk of Adult Onset Atopic Dermatitis in Adolescent and Adult Patients with Food Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsu-Sheng Yu

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Food allergy can result in life-threatening anaphylaxis. Atopic dermatitis (AD causes intense itching and impaired quality of life. Previous studies have shown that patients with classical early-onset AD tend to develop food allergy and that 10% of adults with food allergies have concomitant AD. However, it is not known whether late-onset food allergy leads to adult-onset AD, a recently recognized disease entity. Using an initial cohort of one-million subjects, this study retrospectively followed-up 2851 patients with food allergy (age > 12 years for 14 years and compared them with 11,404 matched controls. While 2.8% (81 of the 2851 food allergy patients developed AD, only 2.0% (227 of the 11,404 controls developed AD. Multivariate regression analysis showed that food allergy patients were more likely to develop AD (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.49, p < 0.0001. Controls had a 1.99% risk of developing AD, while food allergy patients had a significantly higher risk (7.18% and 3.46% for patients with ≥3 and <3 food allergy claims, respectively of developing adult-onset AD. This is the first study to describe the chronological and dose-dependent associations between food allergy in adolescence and the development of adult-onset AD.

  17. Knowledge of allergies and performance in epinephrine auto-injector use: a controlled intervention in preschool teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumeier, Henriette Karoline; Richter, Luca Anne; Neininger, Martina Patrizia; Prenzel, Freerk; Kiess, Wieland; Bertsche, Astrid; Bertsche, Thilo

    2018-04-01

    Epinephrine auto-injectors are used for first aid in anaphylactic emergencies by non-healthcare professionals, e.g., (pre-)school teachers. We developed an education session for preschool teachers addressing allergies, anaphylactic emergencies, and administering auto-injectors. We assessed their attitudes and knowledge in allergies and anaphylactic emergency by a questionnaire and monitored their practical performance in administering auto-injectors before the education session, directly after, and 4-12 weeks after the session. From 75 teachers giving their consent to participate, 81% had children with allergies under their supervision and 3% had already administered medication from an available rescue kit. The knowledge of triggers of allergies increased from 9 to 55% directly and to 33% 4-12 weeks after the session (both p < 0.001, compared to baseline). Directly after the session, the number of teachers who felt well-prepared for an anaphylactic emergency rose from 11 to 88%, which decreased to 79% 4-12 weeks thereafter (each p < 0.001). The number of auto-injector administrations without any drug-related problems increased from 3 to 35% directly after the session and shrunk to 16% 4-12 weeks afterwards (both p < 0.025). A single education session substantially improved preschool teachers' attitudes and knowledge in allergies and anaphylactic emergencies. Additionally, their practical performance in auto-injector administration increased. What is Known: • Food allergies are increasing among children. • The knowledge about allergies and anaphylactic emergencies is poor. What is New: • The proportion of teachers who felt well-prepared for an anaphylactic emergency increased after a single education session. • The proportion of auto-injector administrations without any drug-related problems additionally increased due to an education session.

  18. Food diversity in infancy and the risk of childhood asthma and allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nwaru, Bright I; Takkinen, Hanna-Mari; Kaila, Minna; Erkkola, Maijaliisa; Ahonen, Suvi; Pekkanen, Juha; Simell, Olli; Veijola, Riitta; Ilonen, Jorma; Hyöty, Heikki; Knip, Mikael; Virtanen, Suvi M

    2014-04-01

    Recently, the bacterial diversity of the intestinal flora and the diversity of various environmental factors during infancy have been linked to the development of allergies in childhood. Food is an important environmental exposure, but the role of food diversity in the development of asthma and allergies in childhood is poorly defined. We studied the associations between food diversity during the first year of life and the development of asthma and allergies by age 5 years. In a Finnish birth cohort we analyzed data on 3142 consecutively born children. We studied food diversity at 3, 4, 6, and 12 months of age. Asthma, wheeze, atopic eczema, and allergic rhinitis were measured by using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire at age 5 years. By 3 and 4 months of age, food diversity was not associated with any of the allergic end points. By 6 months of age, less food diversity was associated with increased risk of allergic rhinitis but not with the other end points. By 12 months of age, less food diversity was associated with increased risk of any asthma, atopic asthma, wheeze, and allergic rhinitis. Less food diversity during the first year of life might increase the risk of asthma and allergies in childhood. The mechanisms for this association are unclear, but increased dietary antigen exposure might contribute to this link. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Socioeconomic Disparities in the Economic Impact of Childhood Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilaver, Lucy A; Kester, Kristen M; Smith, Bridget M; Gupta, Ruchi S

    2016-05-01

    We compared direct medical costs borne by the health care system and out-of-pocket costs borne by families for children with food allergy by socioeconomic characteristics. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data collected between November 2011 and January 2012 from 1643 US caregivers with a food-allergic child. We used a 2-part regression model to estimate mean costs and identified differences by levels of household income and race or ethnicity. Children in the lowest income stratum incurred 2.5 times the amount of emergency department and hospitalization costs as a result of their food allergy than higher-income children ($1021, SE ±$209, vs $416, SE ±$94; P impact of food allergy based on socioeconomic status. Affordable access to specialty care, medications, and allergen-free foods are critical to keep all food-allergic children safe, regardless of income and race. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  20. Japanese Guideline for Food Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atsuo Urisu

    2011-01-01

    Therapy for food allergy includes treatments of and prophylactic measures against hypersensitivity like anaphylaxis. A fundamental prophylactic measure is the elimination diet. However, elimination diets should be conducted only if they are inevitable because they places a burden on patients. For this purpose, it is highly important that causative foods are accurately identified. Many means to determine the causative foods are available, including history taking, skin prick test, antigen specific IgE antibodies in blood, basophil histamine release test, elimination diet test, oral food challenge test, etc. Of these, the oral food challenge test is the most reliable. However, it should be conducted under the supervision of experienced physicians because it may cause adverse reactions such as anaphylaxis.

  1. The emotional, social, and financial burden of food allergies on children and their families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Nilamben; Herbert, Linda; Green, Todd D

    2017-03-01

    As the prevalence of food allergy has risen among children and young adults, both in the United States and around the world, investigators have become increasingly aware of the daily emotional toll on patients and their families of living with food allergy. To review the literature regarding the emotional, social, and financial impact of food allergy on pediatric patients and their families, and to provide evidence-based suggestions for clinicians on how to most effectively address these issues. A literature search was performed to identify relevant articles related to the emotional, social, and financial impact of food allergy. There is a growing body of literature that demonstrates that living with food allergy adversely affects patients and families in the domains above. Food allergy can significantly impact pediatric patients and their families in all areas of their lives. Clinicians should be aware of these issues when working with these families. Implementing a multidisciplinary approach can help families cope with emotional, social, and financial burdens.

  2. Perinatal stress and food allergy: a preliminary study on maternal reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polloni, L; Ferruzza, E; Ronconi, L; Lazzarotto, F; Toniolo, A; Bonaguro, R; Muraro, A

    2015-01-01

    Maternal stress in fetal and early life has been associated with the development of respiratory allergies, but no studies exist about food allergy. Stressful events and the quality of caregiving provided, as they affect the emotional and physiologic regulation of the infant, could alter the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and immune system, facilitating an increased allergic response. This study aimed to investigate the influence of perinatal stress, as perceived by mothers, on developing food allergy in childhood. A survey on pregnancy and the first three months after giving birth was submitted to 59 Italian mothers of at least one child suffering from severe food allergy and one completely healthy child, for a total of 118 children examined. The presence of stressful events and the quality of perinatal period for each child were assessed retrospectively. The food allergic children's data were compared to siblings' data through inferential statistics. The results showed a significantly higher number of stressful events occurred during patients' perinatal period, compared to siblings, in particular bereavements in pregnancy and parenting difficulties in postpartum. Mothers reported harder pregnancies and more stressful, harder, and, in general, worse postpartum when referring to their food-allergic children, in comparison with their siblings (p stress and perinatal psychosocial factors in the pathogenesis of food allergy; further studies are necessary to understand individual psychological impact and its relations with genetic and biological factors.

  3. A review of oral food challenges in children presenting to a single tertiary centre with perceived or true food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thalayasingam, Meera; Loo, Evelyn Xiu Ling; Tan, Michelle Meiling; Bever, Hugo Van; Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi

    2015-11-01

    The prevalence of perceived food allergies exceeds that of true food allergies. Unnecessary food avoidance may increase parental and patient anxiety, reduce quality of life and increase the risk of nutritional deficiency. An oral food challenge (OFC) can provide an objective measure regarding the presence or absence of food allergies in a child. This study reviews the indications for and outcomes of OFCs performed on children. A retrospective review was performed on all children who underwent OFCs at the Allergy Unit of the National University Hospital, Singapore, over a three-year period. A total of 197 OFCs were performed among 58 patients (34 male, 24 female). Most of the tests were for allergies to tree nuts (n = 107). Among the OFCs, 43.1% were for foods that were avoided and never eaten due to perceived food allergies, 25.9% were for foods that had previously resulted in positive skin prick tests (SPTs) and/or immunoassay results, 16.2% were for foods thought to worsen eczema and 14.7% were for foods thought to have caused a previous reaction. Of all the OFCs, 5% were positive, although adverse reactions were mostly cutaneous. Challenge-positive patients had either positive SPTs (wheal > 3 mm) or raised serum immunoglobulin E levels to specific foods that they reacted to during the challenges. No episodes of anaphylaxis were reported after the challenge. Most of the patients were able to safely introduce the avoided foods into their diets. OFCs provide an objective assessment for suspected food allergies.

  4. Impact of Food Allergies on School Nursing Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Christopher; Munoz-Furlong, Anne; Furlong, Terence J.; Arbit, Julie

    2004-01-01

    Food allergies affect 11 million Americans, including 6-8% of children. The rate of peanut allergies in children doubled from 1997 to 2002. There is no cure; therefore, strict avoidance of the allergen is the only way to avoid a reaction. Fatalities are associated with delays in or lack of epinephrine administration. Severe reactions, called…

  5. Food Allergies: The Basics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenta, Rudolf; Hochwallner, Heidrun; Linhart, Birgit; Pahr, Sandra

    2015-01-01

    IgE-associated food allergy affects approximately 3% of the population and has severe effects on the daily life of patients—manifestations occur not only in the gastrointestinal tract but also affect other organ systems. Birth cohort studies have shown that allergic sensitization to food allergens develops early in childhood. Mechanisms of pathogenesis include cross-linking of mast cell– and basophil-bound IgE and immediate release of inflammatory mediators, as well as late-phase and chronic allergic inflammation, resulting from T-cell, basophil, and eosinophil activation. Researchers have begun to characterize the molecular features of food allergens and have developed chip-based assays for multiple allergens. These have provided information about cross-reactivity among different sources of food allergens, identified disease-causing food allergens, and helped us to estimate the severity and types of allergic reactions in patients. Importantly, learning about the structure of disease-causing food allergens has allowed researchers to engineer synthetic and recombinant vaccines. PMID:25680669

  6. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) attenuates food allergy symptoms by regulating type 1/type 2 helper T cells (Th1/Th2) balance in a mouse model of food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Hee Soon; See, Hye-Jeong; Jung, Sun Young; Choi, Dae Woon; Kwon, Da-Ae; Bae, Min-Jung; Sung, Ki-Seung; Shon, Dong-Hwa

    2015-12-04

    Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has traditionally been used to treat pain, fever, allergic and inflammatory diseases such as bronchitis, arthritis, and dermatitis. In particular, turmeric and its active component, curcumin, were effective in ameliorating immune disorders including allergies. However, the effects of turmeric and curcumin have not yet been tested on food allergies. Mice were immunized with intraperitoneal ovalbumin (OVA) and alum. The mice were orally challenged with 50mg OVA, and treated with turmeric extract (100mg/kg), curcumin (3mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) for 16 days. Food allergy symptoms including decreased rectal temperature, diarrhea, and anaphylaxis were evaluated. In addition, cytokines, immunoglobulins, and mouse mast cell protease-1 (mMCP-1) were evaluated using ELISA. Turmeric significantly attenuated food allergy symptoms (decreased rectal temperature and anaphylactic response) induced by OVA, but curcumin showed weak improvement. Turmeric also inhibited IgE, IgG1, and mMCP-1 levels increased by OVA. Turmeric reduced type 2 helper cell (Th2)-related cytokines and enhanced a Th1-related cytokine. Turmeric ameliorated OVA-induced food allergy by maintaining Th1/Th2 balance. Furthermore, turmeric was confirmed anti-allergic effect through promoting Th1 responses on Th2-dominant immune responses in immunized mice. Turmeric significantly ameliorated food allergic symptoms in a mouse model of food allergy. The turmeric as an anti-allergic agent showed immune regulatory effects through maintaining Th1/Th2 immune balance, whereas curcumin appeared immune suppressive effects. Therefore, we suggest that administration of turmeric including various components may be useful to ameliorate Th2-mediated allergic disorders such as food allergy, atopic dermatitis, and asthma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Patch testing for food-associated allergies in orofacial granulomatosis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Fitzpatrick, Laura

    2011-01-01

    Food-associated allergies, especially to benzoates and cinnamon-related compounds, have been associated with orofacial granulomatosis and both standard and urticarial patch testing have been used to detect such allergies. Elimination diets have also been shown to be effective in some patients.

  8. Managing Food Allergies in School: What Educators Need to Know

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrow, Eleanor

    2011-01-01

    An estimated 2.2 million school-age children in the United States have food allergies, and that number seems to be on the rise. What's more, survey studies indicate that one out of six kids with food allergies will have an allergic reaction while in school and that 25% of these reactions will be first-time reactions. If a district has not yet…

  9. Preventing Food Allergies by Tricking Dendritic Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Food allergies are adverse responses to components (usually proteins) within the foods we eat, which result in a self-damaging response from our immune system. A myriad of cellular and molecular components are involved in the decision to tolerate or respond to foreign molecules that pass through the...

  10. Parent perceived quality of life is age-dependent in children with food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wassenberg, Jacqueline; Cochard, Marie-Madeleine; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Ballabeni, Pierluigi; Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; Newman, Christopher J.; Hofer, Michael; Eigenmann, Philippe A.

    To cite this article: Wassenberg J, Cochard M-M, DunnGalvin A, Ballabeni P, Flokstra-de Blok BMJ, Newman CJ, Hofer M, Eigenmann PA. Parent perceived quality of life is age-dependent in children with food allergy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012: 23: 412419. Abstract Background: Food allergy in children

  11. Development and validation of the self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for adolescents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M J; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J; Oude Elberink, Joanne N G; Duiverman, Eric J; Hourihane, Jonathan O'Brien; Dubois, Anthony E J

    Background: Food allergy can affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire for adolescents with food allergy exists. Objective: We sought to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Teenager

  12. EAACI Guidelines on allergen immunotherapy: IgE-mediated food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pajno, G B; Fernandez-Rivas, M; Arasi, S; Roberts, G; Akdis, C A; Alvaro-Lozano, M; Beyer, K; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Burks, W; Ebisawa, M; Eigenmann, P; Knol, E; Nadeau, K C; Poulsen, L K; van Ree, R; Santos, A F; du Toit, G; Dhami, S; Nurmatov, U; Boloh, Y; Makela, M; O'Mahony, L; Papadopoulos, N; Sackesen, C; Agache, I; Angier, E; Halken, S; Jutel, M; Lau, S; Pfaar, O; Ryan, D; Sturm, G; Varga, E-M; van Wijk, R G; Sheikh, A; Muraro, A

    2018-04-01

    Food allergy can result in considerable morbidity, impairment of quality of life, and healthcare expenditure. There is therefore interest in novel strategies for its treatment, particularly food allergen immunotherapy (FA-AIT) through the oral (OIT), sublingual (SLIT), or epicutaneous (EPIT) routes. This Guideline, prepared by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Task Force on Allergen Immunotherapy for IgE-mediated Food Allergy, aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for active treatment of IgE-mediated food allergy with FA-AIT. Immunotherapy relies on the delivery of gradually increasing doses of specific allergen to increase the threshold of reaction while on therapy (also known as desensitization) and ultimately to achieve post-discontinuation effectiveness (also known as tolerance or sustained unresponsiveness). Oral FA-AIT has most frequently been assessed: here, the allergen is either immediately swallowed (OIT) or held under the tongue for a period of time (SLIT). Overall, trials have found substantial benefit for patients undergoing either OIT or SLIT with respect to efficacy during treatment, particularly for cow's milk, hen's egg, and peanut allergies. A benefit post-discontinuation is also suggested, but not confirmed. Adverse events during FA-AIT have been frequently reported, but few subjects discontinue FA-AIT as a result of these. Taking into account the current evidence, FA-AIT should only be performed in research centers or in clinical centers with an extensive experience in FA-AIT. Patients and their families should be provided with information about the use of FA-AIT for IgE-mediated food allergy to allow them to make an informed decision about the therapy. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  13. Food Allergy Educational Needs of Pediatric Dietitians: A Survey by the Consortium of Food Allergy Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groetch, Marion E.; Christie, Lynn; Vargas, Perla A.; Jones, Stacie M.; Sicherer, Scott H.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To determine pediatric dietitians' self-reported proficiency, educational needs, and preferences regarding food allergy (FA) management. Design and Setting: An Internet-based, anonymous survey was distributed to the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group (PNPG) of the American Dietetic Association. Participants: Respondents (n = 311) were…

  14. INTESTINAL DYSBIOSIS IN CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGY: PATHOGENETIC ASPECTS AND MODERN CORRECTION METHODS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.G. Makarova

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background paper analyses the role of intestinal micro-flora at the stage of forming immunity, the importance of intestinal microflora abnormalities during the periods of allergic diseases development (primarily food allergies, as well as mechanisms of dysbiosis effect on the allergic processes in child's body. The study discusses the mechanisms of treatment and prevention effect of probiotics for cases of child allergic diseases. The work also specifies modern approaches to correcting dysbiotic abnormalities for children with food allergies, reviews the options of diet and medication treatment of food allergy, suggests a new algorithm of gradual treatment that targets correction of dysbiosis in this patient category.Key words: children, food allergy, dysbiosis, probiotics, prebiotics, diet therapy.

  15. Disease-specific health-related quality of life instruments for IgE-mediated food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvilla, S A; Dubois, A E J; Flokstra-de Blok, B M J; Panesar, S S; Worth, A; Patel, S; Muraro, A; Halken, S; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K; DunnGalvin, A; Hourihane, J O'B; Regent, L; de Jong, N W; Roberts, G; Sheikh, A

    2014-07-01

    This is one of seven interlinked systematic reviews undertaken on behalf of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology as part of their Guidelines for Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis, which focuses on instruments developed for IgE-mediated food allergy. Disease-specific questionnaires are significantly more sensitive than generic ones in measuring the response to interventions or future treatments, as well as estimating the general burden of food allergy. The aim of this systematic review was therefore to identify which disease-specific, validated instruments can be employed to enable assessment of the impact of, and investigations and interventions for, IgE-mediated food allergy on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Using a sensitive search strategy, we searched seven electronic bibliographic databases to identify disease-specific quality of life (QOL) tools relating to IgE-mediated food allergy. From the 17 eligible studies, we identified seven disease-specific HRQL instruments, which were then subjected to detailed quality appraisal. This revealed that these instruments have undergone formal development and validation processes, and have robust psychometric properties, and therefore provide a robust means of establishing the impact of food allergy on QOL. Suitable instruments are now available for use in children, adolescents, parents/caregivers, and adults. Further work must continue to develop a clinical minimal important difference for food allergy and for making these instruments available in a wider range of European languages. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Novel immunotherapy approaches to food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hayen, Simone M; Kostadinova, Atanaska I; Garssen, Johan; Otten, Henny G; Willemsen, Linette E M

    2014-01-01

    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Despite reaching high percentages of desensitization using allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) in patients with food allergy, recent studies suggest only a low number of patients to reach persistent clinical tolerance. This review describes current developments in strategies to

  17. "We don't have such a thing, that you may be allergic": Newcomers' understandings of food allergies in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Daniel W; Dean, Jennifer; Wilson, Kathi; Qamar, Zafar

    2015-06-01

    Food allergies are emerging as important public health risks in Canada, affecting 3-4% of adults and 6-7% of children. Despite much lower prevalence rates among recent immigrants (i.e. in the country less than 10 years), evidence has shown this population to be more concerned about the risks of food allergies than the general population and have unique experiences around purchasing foods for allergen-free environments. As a substantial and growing segment of the Canadian population, it is important to understand newcomers' perceptions and knowledge of food allergies and related policies developed to protect allergic children (e.g. nut-free schools and or classrooms). This paper draws upon the results of focus groups conducted with newcomers from food allergic households (i.e. directly affected), as well as those with school-aged children who have to prepare or buy foods for allergen-controlled classrooms or schools (i.e. indirectly affected) living in Mississauga, Ontario. Results indicate unique challenges and understandings of food allergies as a new and unfamiliar risk for most newcomers, particularly as the indirectly affected participants negotiate the policy landscape. The directly affected group highlights the supportive environment in Canada resulting from the same policies and increased awareness in the general population. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  18. IL-9-Producing Mast Cell Precursors and Food Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0517 TITLE: IL-9-Producing Mast Cell Precursors and Food Allergy PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Simon P. Hogan PhD...IL-9-Producing Mast Cell Precursors and Food Allergy 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Yui Hsi Wang, Sunil...threatening anaphylaxis. We have identified a novel multi-functional IL-9-producing mucosal mast cells (MMC9s) that produce large amounts of IL-9, IL

  19. Development and validation of the self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for adolescents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J.; Oude Elberink, Joanne N. G.; Duiverman, Eric J.; Hourihane, Jonathan O.'Brien; Dubois, Anthony E. J.

    2008-01-01

    Food allergy can affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire for adolescents with food allergy exists. We sought to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Teenager Form (FAQLQ-TF) in the

  20. Knowledge and awareness of ocular allergy among undergraduate students of public universities in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyei, Samuel; Tettey, Bernard; Asiedu, Kofi; Awuah, Agnes

    2016-10-28

    Ocular allergy is a growing public health problem that greatly impacts the day-to-day life of sufferers and their families. Other aspects of their activities of daily living such as schooling, professional, and social life are affected hence an increased awareness and knowledge of ocular allergies, their detection and treatment is paramount. This study was to assess the level of knowledge and awareness of ocular allergy among undergraduate students of public universities in Ghana. A descriptive cross sectional survey was conducted among 1000 students from three selected public universities in Ghana. Each respondent completed a questionnaire that had questions concerning awareness and knowledge of ocular allergy. Out of the 1000 students, 347 (34.7 %) were aware of ocular allergy. Of these 347 students, the level of knowledge of ocular allergy was generally low. Majority of the students had their source of information about ocular allergy from the media and the internet. There was statistical significant association among awareness of ocular allergy, sources of information and programme of study (p students is generally low. Students' programmes of study influenced their knowledge of ocular allergy. Public health measures are recommended to help educate students on the prevention and control of ocular allergy as well as the complications associated with this condition.

  1. Development and validation of a self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; DunnGalvin, A.; Vlieg - Boerstra, B. J.; Oude Elberink, J. N. G.; Duiverman, E. J.; Hourihane, J. O'B.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    Having a food allergy may affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire exists for children with food allergy. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire - Child Form

  2. Development and validation of a self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire for children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; DunnGalvin, A.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; Oude Elberink, J. N. G.; Duiverman, E. J.; Hourihane, J. O.'B.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    2009-01-01

    Having a food allergy may affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). Currently, no validated, self-administered, disease-specific HRQL questionnaire exists for children with food allergy. The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire--Child Form

  3. Awareness of food allergies: a survey of pediatricians in Kuwait.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Herz, Waleed; Husain, Khalid; Al-Khabaz, Ahmed; Moussa, Mohamed A A; Al-Refaee, Fawaz

    2017-01-11

    Early diagnosis of food allergies (FA) is important for a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to determine the level of awareness of FA among pediatricians in Kuwait. A 43-item self-administered questionnaire was designed and distributed to pediatricians working at 4 government hospitals in Kuwait. A total of 140 pediatricians completed the questionnaire, with a participation rate of 51.1% (81 males and 59 females). The mean age of participants was 40.81 years, and the mean number of years working in pediatrics was 13.94 years. The mean overall knowledge score was 22.2. The pediatricians' overall knowledge scores were found to be significantly associated with their age (older pediatricians had higher overall scores) and years of experience as a pediatrician but were independent from hospital site, gender, or rank. A multiple linear regression revealed pediatrician age and gender were the only variables that were significantly associated with the overall knowledge score. Only 16.4% of the participants answered at least 2/3 of the survey questions correctly. The questions that were correctly answered by ≤ 2/3 of the participants constituted 80% of clinical presentation questions, 66.6% of diagnostics questions, 77.7% of treatment questions, and 42.8% of prevention questions. Interestingly, among 68 pediatricians (48.5%) who determined that they felt comfortable evaluating and treating patients with FA, only 12 (17.6%) passed the questionnaire. This survey demonstrates that there is a noteworthy deficiency of pediatricians' awareness about FA. The implementation of strategies to improve pediatricians' awareness is critical to diagnose food allergy patients early and improve their health and outcomes.

  4. Lupin sensitization and clinical allergy in food allergic children in Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindvik, Helene; Holden, Lise; Løvik, Martinus; Cvancarova, Milada; Halvorsen, Ragnhild

    2008-01-01

    The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate to what extent children in Norway sensitized to lupin had clinical lupin allergy, and to compare sensitization to lupin with sensitization to other legumes. Thirty-five children with food allergy referred to a national referral hospital were evaluated with skin prick test (SPT) and analysis of serum-specific IgE to lupin, peanut, pea and soy. The children with positive SPTs to lupin were offered oral food challenges with lupin flour. Fifteen children (43%) had positive SPT and 17 children (49%) had serum-specific IgE to lupin. Ten SPT-positive children underwent oral food challenges and one experienced an allergic reaction to lupin flour. This child was one of six challenged children with IgE antibodies to peanut >15 kU(A)/L. There was a strong relationship between positive SPT to lupin flour and positive SPT to soy and between positive SPT to lupin and specific IgE to soy, pea and peanut. Children with sensitization to lupin are not likely to have a clinical lupin allergy. Avoidance of lupin on the basis of lupin sensitization or peanut allergy would lead to unnecessarily strict diets. Food challenge is currently necessary to diagnose lupin allergy.

  5. Assessment of IgE-mediated food allergies in children with atopic dermatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mavroudi, A; Karagiannidou, A; Xinias, I; Cassimos, D; Karantaglis, N; Farmaki, E; Imvrios, G; Fotoulaki, M; Eboriadou, M; Tsanakas, J

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disease of the skin, which is characterised by a chronic relapsing course. The aim of the study was to assign the prevalence of clinically active food allergies among a group of children between 3 months and 7 years of age, with AD. Eighty-eight children with AD were screened for specific IgE antibodies to food proteins. All patients with AD and specific IgE antibodies to food proteins were subjected to Oral Food Challenges (OFCs) with the relevant foods. Food-sensitised patients with moderate levels of sIgE had clinically active food allergy to milk (39.28%) and egg (42.34%) on the basis of positive OFCs. High IgE and eosinophilia had a prevalence of almost 80% and 25%, regardless of concomitant food sensitisation and disease severity. In this study, clinically active food allergies were recognised in 26.13% of children with AD. Nevertheless, no association was confirmed between food sensitisation and AD severity. High IgE and peripheral eosinophilia have not been found more prevalent among children with severe AD nor among children with food sensitisation. Infants and younger children with AD should be screened for an underlying food allergy, regardless of disease severity. Copyright © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Food allergy is associated with recurrent respiratory tract infections during childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Woicka-Kolejwa

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Introduction : To find out whether children with food allergy have an increased risk of recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections and of asthma. Aim: To describe the clinical profile of children diagnosed with food allergy referred to the Allergy Clinic. Material and methods : We conducted a retrospective study to assess the patients’ demographic, anthropometric and clinical data. The analysis included data of all children by the age of 10 years (registered with the Allergy Clinic between 2012 and 2013 in whom IgE mediated food allergy had been diagnosed during 18 months of observation. Results : We included 280 children into the analysis. Recurrent respiratory tract infections (rRTI, asthma and gastrointestinal (GI symptoms were observed in 153 (54.6%, 96 (34.3%, 39 (13.9%, respectively, with a significant increasing trend across age-subgroups. In children from 1 to 2 years old, sensitization to -lactoglobulin increased the risk of rRTI (OR = 3.91; 95% CI: 1.03–14.87. In older children sensitization to allergens other than milk or egg decreases the risk of rRTI (OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.10–0.62; sensitization to egg decreased the risk of asthma diagnosis (OR = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.01–0.75. We did not identify food allergens which change the risk of GI symptoms in children. This finding was consistent throughout all age-subgroups. Conclusions : Sensitization to -lactoglobulin increased the risk of rRTI in children under 2 years of age nearly four times. The presence of sensitization to food allergens above 3 years of age did not increase the risk of developing clinical presentation of food allergy other than atopic dermatitis.

  7. Food allergies: the basics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenta, Rudolf; Hochwallner, Heidrun; Linhart, Birgit; Pahr, Sandra

    2015-05-01

    IgE-associated food allergy affects approximately 3% of the population and has severe effects on the daily life of patients-manifestations occur not only in the gastrointestinal tract but also affect other organ systems. Birth cohort studies have shown that allergic sensitization to food allergens develops early in childhood. Mechanisms of pathogenesis include cross-linking of mast cell- and basophil-bound IgE and immediate release of inflammatory mediators, as well as late-phase and chronic allergic inflammation, resulting from T-cell, basophil, and eosinophil activation. Researchers have begun to characterize the molecular features of food allergens and have developed chip-based assays for multiple allergens. These have provided information about cross-reactivity among different sources of food allergens, identified disease-causing food allergens, and helped us to estimate the severity and types of allergic reactions in patients. Importantly, learning about the structure of disease-causing food allergens has allowed researchers to engineer synthetic and recombinant vaccines. Copyright © 2015 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Food allergy - science and policy needs - The UK Food Standards Agency Research Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buck, Joelle; Hattersley, Sue; Kimber, Ian

    2010-01-01

    Food allergy is a significant health issue in the UK, affecting between 1 and 2% of adults and 5 and 8% of children. The UK Food Standards Agency seeks to ensure the safety of food allergic consumers by providing them with information and guidance on food choices. Since 1995, with the aim of addressing important policy issues and improving the quality of the support and guidance available for food allergic consumers, the Agency (and before that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food), has had a programme of research dedicated to investigating the causes and mechanisms of food allergy and delivering benefits for UK consumers. In this paper, we outline some of the major scientific challenges that the programme has sought to address. We reflect on how the findings have been used as a basis for the development of sound, evidence-based policy and advice for UK consumers, and the current direction of research being supported by the programme.

  9. Immune Modulation by Vitamin D and Its Relevance to Food Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noor H. A. Suaini

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Apart from its classical function in bone and calcium metabolism, vitamin D is also involved in immune regulation and has been linked to various cancers, immune disorders and allergic diseases. Within the innate and adaptive immune systems, the vitamin D receptor and enzymes in monocytes, dendritic cells, epithelial cells, T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes mediate the immune modulatory actions of vitamin D. Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency early in life has been identified as one of the risk factors for food allergy. Several studies have observed an association between increasing latitude and food allergy prevalence, plausibly linked to lower ultraviolet radiation (UVR exposure and vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Along with mounting epidemiological evidence of a link between vitamin D status and food allergy, mice and human studies have shed light on the modulatory properties of vitamin D on the innate and adaptive immune systems. This review will summarize the literature on the metabolism and immune modulatory properties of vitamin D, with particular reference to food allergy.

  10. The Evaluation of Food Allergy on Behavior in Autistic Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Khakzad

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Despite many efforts, the etiology of autism remains unknown. Food allergy has been suggested as a pathogenic factor in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD. Our aim in this study was to determine whether food allergy could be considered as a risk factor for autistic children. Methods: Thirty-nine autistic children were examined by the skin prick test (SPT, and total serum IgE was evaluated by ELISA. SPTs were performed for egg whites, oranges, peanuts, tomatoes, tuna fish, walnuts, aubergines, melons, grapes, and cow milk. Parents and teachers were then asked to exclude these items from the childrens’ diets for six months. After the treatment period, the autistic children who tested positive for food allergies were re-assessed by a standard questionnaire to obtain further information about their medical histories. Results: Three of the study’s 39 autistic children (7.7% tested positive on the SPT. Total serum IgE levels were elevated in 56.4% of the subjects (mean=164±24.5, cut-off >155 IU/ml. The results showed a decreased mean in the childrens’ autistic behaviors on the Children Autism Rating Scale (CARS after both eight weeks and six months; however, this decrease was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Food allergy may play a role in the pathophysiology of autism. We conclude that avoidance of certain foods benefits the behavior of autistic children.

  11. Road map for the clinical application of the basophil activation test in food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, A F; Shreffler, W G

    2017-09-01

    The diagnosis of IgE-mediated food allergy based solely on the clinical history and the documentation of specific IgE to whole allergen extract or single allergens is often ambiguous, requiring oral food challenges (OFCs), with the attendant risk and inconvenience to the patient, to confirm the diagnosis of food allergy. This is a considerable proportion of patients assessed in allergy clinics. The basophil activation test (BAT) has emerged as having superior specificity and comparable sensitivity to diagnose food allergy, when compared with skin prick test and specific IgE. BAT, therefore, may reduce the number of OFC required for accurate diagnosis, particularly positive OFC. BAT can also be used to monitor resolution of food allergy and the clinical response to immunomodulatory treatments. Given the practicalities involved in the performance of BAT, we propose that it can be applied for selected cases where the history, skin prick test and/or specific IgE are not definitive for the diagnosis of food allergy. In the cases that the BAT is positive, food allergy is sufficiently confirmed without OFC; in the cases that BAT is negative or the patient has non-responder basophils, OFC may still be indicated. However, broad clinical application of BAT demands further standardization of the laboratory procedure and of the flow cytometry data analyses, as well as clinical validation of BAT as a diagnostic test for multiple target allergens and confirmation of its feasibility and cost-effectiveness in multiple settings. © 2017 The Authors. Clinical & Experimental Allergy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Is mealworm or shrimp allergy indicative for food allergy to insects?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Broekman, H.C.H.P.; Knulst, A.C.; Jong, G. de; Gaspari, M.; Hartog Jager, C.F. den; Houben, G.F.; Verhoeckx, K.C.M.

    2017-01-01

    Scope: The growing world population is a key driver for the exploration of sustainable protein sources to ensure food security. Mealworm and other insects are promising candidates. Previously we found that shrimp allergic patients are at risk for mealworm allergy, and that mealworm can induce a

  13. [Determination of lactose intolerance frequency in children with food allergy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutyra, Tomasz; Iwańczak, Barbara

    2008-10-01

    Lactose malabsorption and lactose intolerance symptoms are the most common alimentary tract disorders in children. Lactose intolerance is a result of lactase deficiency or lack of lactase and lactose malabsorption. Hypersensitivity in food allergy is connected with the presence of specific IgE (specific antibodies against some allergens) or lymphocytes. Lactose intolerance and food allergy may coexist in the same patient. The aim of this study was determination of lactose intolerance frequency in children with food allergy who were below and above 5 years of age. The number of 87 children with food allergy aged from 0.7 to 18 years were included in the study (48 boys and 39 girls). 51 patients above 5 years of age and 36 patients below 5 years of age were studied. Lactose intolerance symptoms, hydrogen breath test, activity of lactase and villous atrophy were investigated. Decreased absorption of lactose in hydrogen breath test was observed in 28% of children above 5 years of age and in 5% in younger children. Positive result of biological trial in hydrogen breath test was observed in 10% of patients who were below 5 years of age and in 26% patients above 5 years. There was no statistically significant difference in lactose intolerance frequency and in decreased activity of lactase in intestinal mucosa between these two groups. Frequent partial villous atrophy was observed in younger patients (41,38%) than in children above 5 years of age (17.86%). Lactose intolerance was observed in 10% patients who were below 5 years of age and in 26% patients above 5 years of age with food allergy. There was no statistically significant difference between these two groups.

  14. EOSINOPHILIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASES OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND FOOD ALLERGY AMONG CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.V. Shumilov

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Within the structure of the inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract among children, one may single out a specific group of the chronic pathology of the digestive apparatus — eosinophilic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and gastroenterological manifestations of the food allergy. The food allergy is characterized by the pathologic immune reactivity among commonly genetically predisposed people. Depending on the peculiarities of the immune reactivity of a sick person and the nature of the allergen, the allergic reaction may evolve with primary involvement of the different mechanisms or th2 IgE-mediated, or Th1 non-igecmediated. Clinical picture of the food allergy is the manifestation of the immunoinflammatory process caused by the interaction of the food antigens with the structures of the lymphoid tissues associated with the mucous membranes of this or that target organ. The morphological basis of the clinical picture is mostly immune inflammation with primarily eosinophilic tissue infiltration. The eosinophilic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract include eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, eosinophilic enteritis, eosinophilic colitis, eosinophilic proctitis and other states. During the food allergy each of the clinical forms of the gastrointestinal tract lesion has its own peculiarities with regards to the primary development mechanism, age of manifestation, character of the run and behaviour tactics.Key words: eosinophilic inflammation, esophagitis, gastroenteritis, colitis, food allergy.

  15. Acute and long-term management of food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Silva, D; Geromi, M; Panesar, S S

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Allergic reactions to food can have serious consequences. This systematic review summarizes evidence about the immediate management of reactions and longer-term approaches to minimize adverse impacts. METHODS: Seven bibliographic databases were searched from their inception to September...... management for non-life-threatening reactions. H1-antihistamines may be of benefit, but this evidence was in part derived from studies on those with cross-reactive birch pollen allergy. Regarding long-term management, avoiding the allergenic food or substituting an alternative was commonly recommended...... helpful, but allergen-specific immunotherapy may be disease modifying and therefore warrants further exploration. CONCLUSIONS: Food allergy can be debilitating and affects a significant number of people. However, the evidence base about acute and longer-term management is weak and needs to be strengthened...

  16. Infant feeding and the development of food allergies and atopic eczema: An update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamboni, Sarah E; Allen, Katrina J; Nixon, Rosemary L

    2013-05-01

    There is an increasing awareness of food allergies in the community. Dermatologists frequently see patients with atopic eczema, where parents are extremely concerned about the role of food allergy. Advice given to parents regarding the timing of introduction of solid foods has changed markedly over the past decade. Whereas previous advice advocated delaying the introduction of solid foods until the infant's gastrointestinal system had matured, recent studies suggest that the introduction of solids from around 4 to 6 months may actually prevent the development of allergies. Studies on maternal dietary restrictions during pregnancy and lactation have led researchers to believe that antigen avoidance does not play a significant role in the prevention of atopic disease. Breastfeeding exclusively for 4 to 6 months has multiple benefits for mother and child, however, it does not convincingly prevent food allergies or decrease atopic eczema. New evidence suggests that the use of hydrolysed formulas does not delay or prevent atopic eczema or food allergy. This article aims to highlight current evidence and provide an update for dermatologists on the role of food exposure in the development of atopic disease, namely atopic eczema. © 2012 The Authors. Australasian Journal of Dermatology © 2012 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

  17. Vinegar decreases allergenic response in lentil and egg food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armentia, A; Dueñas-Laita, A; Pineda, F; Herrero, M; Martín, B

    2010-01-01

    Food allergy results from an atypical response of the mucosal immune system to orally consumed allergens. Antacid medication inhibits the digestion of dietary proteins and causes food allergy. A decrease of the gastric pH might enhance the function of digestion and reduce the risk of food allergy. To test a possible decrease in the allergenicity of powerful food allergens (egg, chicken, lentils) with the addition of vinegar during the cooking process. We included seven patients who suffered from anaphylaxis due to egg, chicken and lentils. We added vinegar to egg, chicken and lentil processed extracts used for skin prick tests (SPT) and compared the wheal areas obtained with the same extracts sources and the same way but without vinegar addition. Immunodetection was performed with the different processed extracts and patients' sera. Only one patient consented food challenge with vinegar-marinated-chicken. Wheal areas were significantly minor with the food extract with vinegar. Immunodetection showed a decrease of the response with vinegar processed extracts. Vinegar addition during the cooking process may decrease lentil and chicken allergenicity. Copyright 2009 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  18. Food allergy diagnosis in patients with elimination diet history. Preliminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elsy Maureen Navarrete-Rodríguez

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Food allergy diagnosis is performed by a double blind placebo controlled challenge; however, in a lot of patients, it is only based on clinical history, skin prick tests, or parents’ perception. There is a high frequency of elimination diets without an adequate approach. Objective: To analyze the results of diagnostic tests in a group of children with elimination diet-based on suspected food allergy and verify such studies with double blind placebo-controlled test challenge. Material and method: An observational, analytical and prospective study was done in a group of patients with elimination diet for suspected food allergy. We performed prick test, Prick-to-Prick test and patch test and the positive ones were verified by double-blind placebo-controlled challenge. Results: Fourty-three patients were included within a total of 1,935 tests. Both approach for immediate and late sensitivity had not statistically significant relationship between a positive test and the elimination of food. Until now, we had 4 (8% positive challenges out of 50. Conclusion: The frequency of allergy proved by double-blind placebo-controlled test in 50 challenges was of 8% (4/50, thus, in the preliminary report we found a high frequency of elimination diets without adequate support. It is very important that food allergy diagnosis is accurate and based on an appropriate approach; since the implementation of an elimination diet in pediatric population can have a negative influence on their growth and development.

  19. Tackling Bet v 1 and associated food allergies with a single hybrid protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofer, Heidi; Asam, Claudia; Hauser, Michael; Nagl, Birgit; Laimer, Josef; Himly, Martin; Briza, Peter; Ebner, Christof; Lang, Roland; Hawranek, Thomas; Bohle, Barbara; Lackner, Peter; Ferreira, Fátima; Wallner, Michael

    2017-08-01

    Allergy vaccines should be easily applicable, safe, and efficacious. For Bet v 1-mediated birch pollen and associated food allergies, a single wild-type allergen does not provide a complete solution. We aimed to combine immunologically relevant epitopes of Bet v 1 and the 2 clinically most important related food allergens from apple and hazelnut to a single hybrid protein, termed MBC4. After identification of T cell epitope-containing parts on each of the 3 parental allergens, the hybrid molecule was designed to cover relevant epitopes and evaluated in silico. Thereby a mutation was introduced into the hybrid sequence, which should alter the secondary structure without compromising the immunogenic properties of the molecule. MBC4 and the parental allergens were purified to homogeneity. Analyses of secondary structure elements revealed substantial changes rendering the hybrid de facto nonreactive with patients' serum IgE. Nevertheless, the protein was monomeric in solution. MBC4 was able to activate T-cell lines from donors with birch pollen allergy and from mice immunized with the parental allergens. Moreover, on immunization of mice and rabbits, MBC4 induced cross-reactive IgG antibodies, which were able to block the binding of human serum IgE. Directed epitope rearrangements combined with a knowledge-based structural modification resulted in a protein unable to bind IgE from allergic patients. Still, properties to activate specific T cells or induce blocking antibodies were conserved. This suggests that MBC4 is a suitable vaccine candidate for the simultaneous treatment of Bet v 1 and associated food allergies. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Occupational and food allergy: focus on allergen extracts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    N.W. de Jong (Nicolette)

    2004-01-01

    textabstractThe aim of this thesis is, first, the diagnostic work-up of occupational and food allergies in the absence of well-validated commercially available standardised extracts for Skin Prick Test. Second, to investigate cross-reactivity in occupational and food allergic patients. Third, the

  1. A review of food allergy and nutritional considerations in the food-allergic adult

    Science.gov (United States)

    In the United States, the prevalence of adults with food allergies is approximately 2 percent to 3 percent. Theoretically, any food can cause an allergic reaction; however, some foods are clearly more allergenic than others are. In adults, peanuts, tree nuts, finned fish, crustaceans, fruit, and veg...

  2. Primary prevention of food allergy in infants who are at risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høst, Arne; Halken, Susanne

    2005-01-01

    on primary prevention of food allergy. RECENT FINDINGS: In prospective observational controlled studies of high quality of birth cohorts, exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months combined with introduction of solid foods after 4 months of age is associated with a reduced risk of food allergy and atopic......: Breastfeeding should be encouraged for 4-6 months. In high-risk infants a documented hypoallergenic hydrolysed formula is recommended if exclusively breastfeeding is not possible for the first 4 months. As regards primary prevention of food allergy there is no evidence for preventive dietary intervention during......PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Allergic diseases represent a major burden of health problems in industrialized countries. Though several studies have focused on possible preventive measure and strategies much controversy still exists on this topic. The aim of this review is to discuss the recent literature...

  3. Characterization of plasma cytokines in an infant population cohort of challenge-proven food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dang, T D; Tang, M L K; Koplin, J J; Licciardi, P V; Eckert, J K; Tan, T; Gurrin, L C; Ponsonby, A-L; Dharmage, S C; Allen, K J

    2013-10-01

    Sensitization to food allergens indicates the production of food-specific IgE; however, sensitization is not a definite indicator of allergic reaction upon ingestion (N Engl J Med, 344, 2001, 30: J Allergy Clin Immunol, 120, 2007, 491). Currently, food challenge is the best approach to identify the presence or absence of allergy. While 95% positive predictive values (PPVs) thresholds for sIgE can assist with identifying increased likelihood of allergy among those who are sensitized, there are no specific biological markers that differentiate between allergic and sensitized individuals. To determine whether plasma serum cytokine profiles predict (i) sensitization to peanut and egg and (ii) food allergy among sensitized infants. Peanut-sensitized (PT) and egg-sensitized 14-month-old infants and nonsensitized controls enrolled in HealthNuts, a population-based study of food allergy, underwent an oral food challenge (OFC). Blood was collected within 1 h after OFC. Serum levels of Th1, Th2 and regulatory cytokines were determined in allergic (n = 79), sensitized (n = 40) and nonsensitized, nonallergic (n = 37) infants by multiplex assay. Food-sensitized infants had significantly higher plasma IL-4, IL-13, IL-12p70 and lower IL-10 levels compared to nonsensitized infants. IL-10 and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in sensitized compared with allergic infants. Egg-allergic infants had significantly higher IL-13 and IL-12p70 levels compared to peanut-allergic (PA) infants. Levels of Th2-related cytokines in plasma are higher in food-sensitized infants, irrespective of clinical food allergy status. In contrast, IL-10 levels appear to predict food allergy among sensitized infants. Differences in IL-13 and IL-12p70 between egg- and peanut-allergic infants could help explain the different resolution rates of the allergies. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Diagnostic Utility of Total IgE in Foods, Inhalant, and Multiple Allergies in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Mughales, Jamil A

    2016-01-01

    Objective. To assess the diagnostic significance of total IgE in foods, inhalant, and multiple allergies. Methods. Retrospective review of the laboratory records of patients who presented with clinical suspicion of food or inhalant allergy between January 2013 and December 2014. Total IgE level was defined as positive for a value >195 kU/L; and diagnosis was confirmed by the detection of specific IgE (golden standard) for at least one food or inhalant allergen and at least two allergens in multiple allergies. Results. A total of 1893 (male ratio = 0.68, mean age = 39.0 ± 19.2 years) patients were included. Total IgE had comparable sensitivity (55.8% versus 59.6%) and specificity (83.9% versus 84.4%) in food versus inhalant allergy, respectively, but a superior PPV in inhalant allergy (79.1% versus 54.4%). ROC curve analysis showed a better diagnostic value in inhalant allergies (AUC = 0.817 (95% CI = 0.796-0.837) versus 0.770 (95% CI = 0.707-0.833)). In multiple allergies, total IgE had a relatively good sensitivity (78.6%), while negative IgE testing (allergies with 91.5% certitude. Conclusion. Total IgE assay is not efficient as a diagnostic test for foods, inhalant, or multiple allergies. The best strategy should refer to specific IgE testing guided by a comprehensive atopic history.

  5. The connection between seasonal allergies, food allergies, and rhinosinusitis: what is the evidence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Rahul; Dubal, Pariket M; Eloy, Jean Anderson

    2015-02-01

    Rhinosinusitis affects an estimated one in seven adults in the United States. Otolaryngologists are intimately involved in the care of patients with rhinosinusitis and other upper airway inflammatory conditions through procedures such as endoscopic sinus surgery and, therefore, would benefit from a deeper understanding of the associated comorbidities and their management. Recent evidence has suggested several connections between the underlying disease of rhinosinusitis, seasonal allergies, and food allergies. The authors of the present review seek to provide a focused analysis of the recent literature with respect to epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment options concerning these conditions. Evidence has connected the function of filaggrin, a skin barrier protein, with the pathogenesis of allergic rhinosinusitis and food allergy. Additionally, decreased levels of regulatory B cells and T cells are associated with and play a role in atopic disease. Overlapping treatment modalities between these conditions suggest similar conclusions. Future research into the role of the skin barrier, regulatory immune cell functioning, transforming growth factor-β, and other cytokine signaling, and treatment options such as omalizumab and azelastine is likely to have profound impact on clinicians' management of patients with these disorders and their comorbidities.

  6. Allergy to foods in patients monosensitized to Artemisia pollen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia Ortiz, J C; Cosmes, P M; Lopez-Asunsolo, A

    1996-12-01

    It is known that patients with pollinosis may display clinical characteristics caused by allergy to certain fruits and vegetables, but subjects allergic to Artemisia seem to show particularly peculiar characteristics. The clinical features of 84 patients with rhinitis, asthma, urticaria, and/or anaphylaxis whose inhalant allergy was exclusively to Artemisia vulgaris were studied and compared with a control group of 50 patients monosensitized to grass pollen. The mean age for the beginning of symptoms was 30.2 years, and this was higher than in the control group (P history of atopia, lower than in the control group (P lettuce (two), pollen (two), beer (two), almond (one), peanut (one), other nuts (one), carrot (one), and apple (one). None of the patients monosensitized to grass had food allergy. CAP inhibition experiments were carried out on a single patient. Results showed the existence of common antigenic epitopes in pistachio and Artemisia pollen for this patient. We concluded that mugwort hay fever can be associated with the Compositae family of foods, but that it is not normally associated with other foods.

  7. Health economic analysis of allergen immunotherapy for the management of allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy and venom allergy: A systematic overview

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Asaria, M.; Dhami, S.; van Ree, R.; Gerth van Wijk, R.; Muraro, A.; Roberts, G.; Sheikh, A.

    2018-01-01

    Background: The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is developing guidelines for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the management of allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, IgE-mediated food allergy and venom allergy. To inform the development of clinical recommendations, we

  8. The Development of a Clinical Decision Support System for the Management of Pediatric Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otto, Alana K; Dyer, Ashley A; Warren, Christopher M; Walkner, Madeline; Smith, Bridget M; Gupta, Ruchi S

    2017-06-01

    Pediatricians are often first-line providers for children with food allergy. Food allergy management guidelines have been developed but are cumbersome and confusing, and significant variation exists in pediatricians' management practices. We therefore consolidated the guidelines into 5 key steps for pediatricians caring for patients with food allergy and used rapid-cycle improvement methods to create a clinical decision support system to facilitate the management of food allergy in the primary care setting. This report details the development of the Food Allergy Support Tool (FAST), its pilot testing in 4 primary care pediatric practices, and our ongoing efforts to improve its utility and ease of use. Key themes identified during these processes include the importance of both initial and ongoing provider education as well as the limitations of a tool that must be actively initiated by providers.

  9. Overview of Evidence in Prevention and Aetiology of Food Allergy: A Review of Systematic Reviews

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lodge, Caroline J.; Allen, Katrina J.; Lowe, Adrian J.; Dharmage, Shyamali C.

    2013-01-01

    The worldwide prevalence of food allergy appears to be increasing. Early life environmental factors are implicated in the aetiology of this global epidemic. The largest burden of disease is in early childhood, where research efforts aimed at prevention have been focused. Evidence synthesis from good quality systematic reviews is needed. We performed an overview of systematic reviews concerning the prevention and aetiology of food allergy, retrieving 14 systematic reviews, which covered three broad topics: formula (hydrolysed or soy) for the prevention of food allergy or food sensitization; maternal and infant diet and dietary supplements for the prevention of food allergy or food sensitization and hygiene hypothesis-related interventions. Using the AMSTAR criteria for assessment of methodological quality, we found five reviews to be of high quality, seven of medium quality and two of low quality. Overall we found no compelling evidence that any of the interventions that had been systematically reviewed were related to the risk of food allergy. Updating of existing reviews, and production of new systematic reviews, are needed in areas where evidence is emerging for interventions and environmental associations. Furthermore, additional primary studies, with greater numbers of participants and objective food allergy definitions are urgently required. PMID:24192789

  10. A Focus Group Study of Child Nutrition Professionals' Attitudes about Food Allergies and Current Training Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yee Ming; Kwon, Junehee; Sauer, Kevin

    2014-01-01

    Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore child nutrition professionals' (CNPs) attitudes about food allergies, current practices of food allergy training, and operational issues related to food allergy training in school foodservice operations. Methods: Three focus groups were conducted with 21 CNPs with managerial…

  11. [Food allergies in paediatrics: Current concepts].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plaza-Martin, Ana María

    2016-07-01

    The concept of allergic reaction currently includes all those where an immunological reaction depends on a reaction mediated by IgE, as well as those that involve other immune mechanisms, such as T-cell regulators. There are many different clinical situations, like the classic immediate reactions (IgE mediated) such as urticaria, angioedema, immediate vomiting, abdominal pain, both upper respiratory (aphonia or rhinitis) and lower (wheezing or dyspnoea) symptom, and cardiovascular symptoms. The reactions that involve more than one organ, such as anaphylaxis, which could be an anaphylactic shock if there is cardiovascular involvement. The clinical signs and symptoms produced by non-IgE mediated reactions are usually more insidious in how they start, such as vomiting hours after the ingestion of food in enterocolitis, diarrhoea after days or weeks from starting food, dermatitis sometime after starting food. In these cases it is more difficult to associate these clinical symptoms directly with food. In this article, we attempt to clarify some concepts such as sensitisation/allergy, allergen/allergenic source, or the relationship of different clinical situations with food allergy, in order to help the paediatrician on the one hand, to prescribe strict diets in case of a suspicion based on the cause/effect relationship with the food, and on the other hand not to introduce unnecessary diets that very often have to last an excessively long time, and could lead to nutritional deficiencies in the children. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  12. Prevalence of food sensitization and probable food allergy among adults in India: the EuroPrevall INCO study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahesh, P A; Wong, Gary W K; Ogorodova, L; Potts, J; Leung, T F; Fedorova, O; Holla, Amrutha D; Fernandez-Rivas, M; Clare Mills, E N; Kummeling, I; Versteeg, S A; van Ree, R; Yazdanbakhsh, M; Burney, P

    2016-07-01

    Data are lacking regarding the prevalence of food sensitization and probable food allergy among general population in India. We report the prevalence of sensitization and probable food allergy to 24 common foods among adults from general population in Karnataka, South India. The study was conducted in two stages: a screening study and a case-control study. A total of 11 791 adults in age group 20-54 were randomly sampled from general population in South India and answered a screening questionnaire. A total of 588 subjects (236 cases and 352 controls) participated in the case-control study involving a detailed questionnaire and specific IgE estimation for 24 common foods. A high level of sensitization (26.5%) was observed for most of the foods in the general population, higher than that observed among adults in Europe, except for those foods that cross-react with birch pollen. Most of the sensitization was observed in subjects who had total IgE above the median IgE level. A high level of cross-reactivity was observed among different pollens and foods and among foods. The prevalence of probable food allergy (self-reports of adverse symptoms after the consumption of food and specific IgE to the same food) was 1.2%, which was mainly accounted for cow's milk (0.5%) and apple (0.5%). Very high levels of sensitization were observed for most foods, including those not commonly consumed in the general population. For the levels of sensitization, the prevalence of probable food allergy was low. This disassociation needs to be further explored in future studies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Diagnosis and management of food allergies: new and emerging options: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O’Keefe AW

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Andrew W O'Keefe,1,2 Sarah De Schryver,1 Jennifer Mill,3 Christopher Mill,3 Alizee Dery,1 Moshe Ben-Shoshan1 1Division of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; 2Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada; 3Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada Abstract: It is reported that 6% of children and 3% of adults have food allergies, with studies suggesting increased prevalence worldwide over the last few decades. Despite this, our diagnostic capabilities and techniques for managing patients with food allergies remain limited. We have conducted a systematic review of literature published within the last 5 years on the diagnosis and management of food allergies. While the gold standard for diagnosis remains the double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge, this assessment is resource intensive and impractical in most clinical situations. In an effort to reduce the need for the double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge, several risk-stratifying tests are employed, namely skin prick testing, measurement of serum-specific immunoglobulin E levels, component testing, and open food challenges. Management of food allergies typically involves allergen avoidance and carrying an epinephrine autoinjector. Clinical research trials of oral immunotherapy for some foods, including peanut, milk, egg, and peach, are under way. While oral immunotherapy is promising, its readiness for clinical application is controversial. In this review, we assess the latest studies published on the above diagnostic and management modalities, as well as novel strategies in the diagnosis and management of food allergy. Keywords: skin prick testing, oral challenge, specific IgE, component testing, oral immunotherapy, epinephrine

  14. Fish oil in infancy protects against food allergy in Iceland-Results from a birth cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clausen, M; Jonasson, K; Keil, T; Beyer, K; Sigurdardottir, S T

    2018-01-10

    Consumption of oily fish or fish oil during pregnancy, lactation and infancy has been linked to a reduction in the development of allergic diseases in childhood. In an observational study, Icelandic children (n = 1304) were prospectively followed from birth to 2.5 years with detailed questionnaires administered at birth and at 1 and 2 years of age, including questions about fish oil supplementation. Children with suspected food allergy were invited for physical examinations, allergic sensitization tests, and a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge if the allergy testing or clinical history indicated food allergy. The study investigated the development of sensitization to food and confirmed food allergy according to age and frequency of postnatal fish oil supplementation using proportional hazards modelling. The incidence of diagnosed food sensitization was significantly lower in children who received regular fish oil supplementation (relative risk: 0.51, 95% confidence interval: 0.32-0.82). The incidence of challenge-confirmed food allergy was also reduced, although not statistically significant (0.57, 0.30-1.12). Children who began to receive fish oil in their first half year of life were significantly more protected than those who began later (P = .045 for sensitization, P = .018 for allergy). Indicators of allergy severity decreased with increased fish oil consumption (P = .013). Adjusting for parent education and allergic family history did not change the results. Postnatal fish oil consumption is associated with decreased food sensitization and food allergies in infants and may provide an intervention strategy for allergy prevention. © 2018 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  15. Using Health Conditions for Laughs and Health Policy Support: The Case of Food Allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abo, Melissa M; Slater, Michael D; Jain, Parul

    2017-07-01

    Health conditions are sometimes included in entertainment media comedies as a context for and as a source of humor. Food allergies are a typical case in point: They are potentially life-threatening yet may be used in humorous contexts. We conducted a content analysis of food allergies in entertainment media and tested the effects of humorous portrayals from an exemplar entertainment program. The content analysis confirmed that when food allergies were portrayed in television and the movies, it was most frequently in a humorous context and often contained inaccurate information. A follow-up experiment showed viewing a humorous portrayal of food allergies had an indirect negative effect on related health policy support via decreased perceived seriousness of food allergies. Inclusion of an educational video eliminated this effect on reduced policy support, with cognitive dissonance as a mediator. Findings support the hypothesis that portraying a health condition in a humorous context may reduce perceptions of seriousness and willingness to support public health policies to address risks associated with the condition, supporting and extending prior research findings.

  16. Food allergy: separating the science from the mythology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandtzaeg, Per

    2010-07-01

    Numerous genes are involved in innate and adaptive immunity and these have been modified over millions of years. During this evolution, the mucosal immune system has developed two anti-inflammatory strategies: immune exclusion by the use of secretory antibodies to control epithelial colonization of microorganisms and to inhibit the penetration of potentially harmful agents; and immunosuppression to counteract local and peripheral hypersensitivity against innocuous antigens, such as food proteins. The latter strategy is called oral tolerance when induced via the gut. Homeostatic mechanisms also dampen immune responses to commensal bacteria. The mucosal epithelial barrier and immunoregulatory network are poorly developed in newborns. The perinatal period is, therefore, critical with regard to the induction of food allergy. The development of immune homeostasis depends on windows of opportunity during which innate and adaptive immunity are coordinated by antigen-presenting cells. The function of these cells is not only orchestrated by microbial products but also by dietary constituents, including vitamin A and lipids, such as polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. These factors may in various ways exert beneficial effects on the immunophenotype of the infant. The same is true for breast milk, which provides immune-inducing factors and secretory immunoglobulin A, which reinforces the gut epithelial barrier. It is not easy to dissect the immunoregulatory network and identify variables that lead to food allergy. This Review discusses efforts to this end and outlines the scientific basis for future food allergy prevention.

  17. Nut and Peanut Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 2014 More on this topic for: Teens Shellfish Allergy Food Allergies and Travel My Friend Has a Food Allergy. How Can I Help? My Girlfriend Has a ... for an Allergy Emergency Serious Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis) Food Allergies Egg Allergy Allergy Testing View more About Us ...

  18. All about Allergies (For Parents)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Allergies Egg Allergy Do Allergies Cause Asthma? Allergies Food Allergies and Travel 5 Ways to Be Prepared for an Allergy Emergency Serious Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis) Allergy Testing Food Allergies Food Allergies: How to Cope Egg Allergy ...

  19. Bioanalytical methods for food allergy diagnosis, allergen detection and new allergen discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gasilova, Natalia; Girault, Hubert H

    2015-01-01

    For effective monitoring and prevention of the food allergy, one of the emerging health problems nowadays, existing diagnostic procedures and allergen detection techniques are constantly improved. Meanwhile, new methods are also developed, and more and more putative allergens are discovered. This review describes traditional methods and summarizes recent advances in the fast evolving field of the in vitro food allergy diagnosis, allergen detection in food products and discovery of the new allergenic molecules. A special attention is paid to the new diagnostic methods under laboratory development like various immuno- and aptamer-based assays, including immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis. The latter technique shows the importance of MS application not only for the allergen detection but also for the allergy diagnosis.

  20. Bioanalytical methods for food allergy diagnosis, allergen detection and new allergen discovery

    OpenAIRE

    Gasilova, Natalia; Girault, Hubert H

    2015-01-01

    For effective monitoring and prevention of the food allergy, one of the emerging health problems nowadays, existing diagnostic procedures and allergen detection techniques are constantly improved. Meanwhile, new methods are also developed, and more and more putative allergens are discovered. This review describes traditional methods and summarizes recent advances in the fast evolving field of the in vitro food allergy diagnosis, allergen detection in food products and discovery of the new all...

  1. Effectiveness of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Mothers of Children with Food Allergy: A Case Series

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca C. Knibb

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Food allergy affects quality of life in patients and parents and mothers report high levels of anxiety and stress. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT may be helpful in reducing the psychological impact of food allergy. The aim of this study was to examine the appropriateness and effectiveness of CBT to improve psychological outcomes in parents of children with food allergy. Methods: Five parents (all mothers from a local allergy clinic requested to have CBT; six mothers acted as controls and completed questionnaires only. CBT was individual and face-to face and lasted 12 weeks. All participants completed measures of anxiety and depression, worry, stress, general mental health, generic and food allergy specific quality of life at baseline and at 12 weeks. Results: Anxiety, depression and worry in the CBT group significantly reduced and overall mental health and QoL significantly improved from baseline to 12 weeks (all p < 0.05 in mothers in the CBT group; control group scores remained stable. Conclusions: CBT appears to be appropriate and effective in mothers of children with food allergy and a larger randomised control trial now needs to be conducted. Ways in which aspects of CBT can be incorporated into allergy clinic visits need investigation.

  2. Spontaneous food allergy in Was-/- mice occurs independent of FcεRI-mediated mast cell activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lexmond, W S; Goettel, J A; Sallis, B F; McCann, K; Rings, E H H M; Jensen-Jarolim, E; Nurko, S; Snapper, S B; Fiebiger, E

    2017-12-01

    Food allergies are a growing health problem, and the development of therapies that prevent disease onset is limited by the lack of adjuvant-free experimental animal models. We compared allergic sensitization in patients with food allergy or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) and defined whether spontaneous disease in Was -/- mice recapitulates the pathology of a conventional disease model and/or human food allergy. Comparative ImmunoCAP ISAC microarray was performed in patients with food allergy or WAS. Spontaneous food allergy in Was -/- mice was compared to an adjuvant-based model in wild-type mice (WT-OVA/alum). Intestinal and systemic anaphylaxis was assessed, and the role of the high-affinity IgE Fc receptor (FcεRI) in allergic sensitization was evaluated using Was -/- Fcer1a -/- mice. Polysensitization to food was detected in both WAS and food-allergic patients which was recapitulated in the Was -/- model. Oral administration of ovalbumin (OVA) in Was -/- mice induced low titers of OVA-specific IgE compared to the WT-OVA/alum model. Irrespectively, 79% of Was -/- mice developed allergic diarrhea following oral OVA challenge. Systemic anaphylaxis occurred in Was -/- mice (95%) with a mortality rate >50%. Spontaneous sensitization and intestinal allergy occurred independent of FcεRI expression on mast cells (MCs) and basophils. Was -/- mice provide a model of food allergy with the advantage of mimicking polysensitization and low food-antigen IgE titers as observed in humans with clinical food allergy. This model will facilitate studies on aberrant immune responses during spontaneous disease development. Our results imply that therapeutic targeting of the IgE/FcεRI activation cascade will not affect sensitization to food. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  3. Knowing What You Eat: Researchers Are Looking for Ways to Help People Cope with Food Allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grifantini, Kristina

    2016-01-01

    Food allergies and sensitivities have always been a public health problem but are becoming more prevalent worldwide. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that millions of Americans have allergic reactions to food each year. More than 17 million Europeans have a food allergy, and hospital admissions for severe reactions in children have risen sevenfold over the past decade, according to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

  4. The diagnosis of food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soares-Weiser, K; Takwoingi, Y; Panesar, S S

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: We investigated the accuracy of tests used to diagnose food allergy. METHODS: Skin prick tests (SPT), specific-IgE (sIgE), component-resolved diagnosis and the atopy patch test (APT) were compared with the reference standard of double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge. Seven......, the pooled sensitivities were 53% (95% CI 33-72), 88% (95 % CI 76-94), and 87% (95% CI 75-94), and specificities were 88% (95% CI 76-95), 68% (95% CI 56-77), and 48% (95% CI 36-59) for APT, SPT, and sIgE, respectively. For egg, pooled sensitivities were 92% (95% CI 80-97) and 93% (95% CI 82...

  5. Prevalence of common food allergies in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nwaru, B I; Hickstein, L; Panesar, S S; Roberts, G; Muraro, A; Sheikh, A

    2014-08-01

    Allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish constitutes the majority of food allergy reactions, but reliable estimates of their prevalence are lacking. This systematic review aimed to provide up-to-date estimates of their prevalence in Europe.Studies published in Europe from January 1, 2000, to September 30, 2012, were identified from searches of four electronic databases. Two independent reviewers appraised the studies and extracted the estimates of interest. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Fifty studies were included in a narrative synthesis and 42 studies in the meta-analyses. Although there were significant heterogeneity between the studies, the overall pooled estimates for all age groups of self-reported lifetime prevalence of allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish were 6.0% (95% confidence interval: 5.7-6.4), 2.5% (2.3-2.7), 3.6% (3.0-4.2), 0.4% (0.3-0.6), 1.3% (1.2-1.5), 2.2% (1.8-2.5), and 1.3% (0.9-1.7), respectively. The prevalence of food-challenge-defined allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish was 0.6% (0.5-0.8), 0.2% (0.2-0.3), 0.1% (0.01-0.2), 0.3% (0.1-0.4), 0.2% (0.2-0.3), 0.5% (0.08-0.8), 0.1% (0.02-0.2), and 0.1% (0.06-0.3), respectively. Allergy to cow's milk and egg was more common among younger children, while allergy to peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish was more common among the older ones. There were insufficient data to compare the estimates of soy and wheat allergy between the age groups. Allergy to most foods, except soy and peanut, appeared to be more common in Northern Europe. In summary, the lifetime self-reported prevalence of allergy to common foods in Europe ranged from 0.1 to 6.0%. The heterogeneity between studies was high, and participation rates varied across studies reaching as low as food allergies and initiating strategies to increase participation will advance this evidence base. © 2014

  6. Cesarean section delivery and development of food allergy and atopic dermatitis in early childhood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papathoma, Evangelia; Triga, Maria; Fouzas, Sotirios; Dimitriou, Gabriel

    2016-06-01

    Delivery by Cesarean section (CS) may predispose to allergic disorders, presumably due to alterations in the establishment of normal gut microbiota in early infancy. In this study, we sought to investigate the association between CS and physician-diagnosed food allergy and atopic dermatitis during the first 3 years of life, using data from a homogeneous, population-based, birth cohort. A total of 459 children born and cared for in the same tertiary maternity unit were examined at birth and followed up at 1, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months of age. Participants with symptoms suggestive of food allergy or atopic dermatitis were evaluated by a pediatric allergy specialist to confirm the diagnosis based on well-defined criteria. The rate of CS was 50.8% (n = 233). Food allergy was diagnosed in 24 participants (5.2%) while atopic dermatitis was diagnosed in 62 children (13.5%). Cesarean section (OR 3.15; 95% CI 1.14-8.70), atopic dermatitis of the child (OR 3.01; 95% CI 1.18-7.80), parental atopy (OR 4.33; 95% CI 1.73-12.1), and gestational age (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.07-2.37) were significant and independent predictors of food allergy. Children with at least one allergic parent delivered by CS had higher probability of developing food allergy compared with vaginally delivered children of non-allergic parents (OR 10.0; 95% CI 3.06-32.7). Conversely, the effect of CS on atopic dermatitis was not significant (OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.74-2.47). Delivery by CS predisposes to the development of food allergy but not atopic dermatitis in early childhood. Cesarean section delivery seems to upregulate the immune response to food allergens, especially in children with allergic predisposition. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. IgE-mediated food allergies in Swiss infants and children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrari, Giovanni Gaspare; Eng, Peter Andreas

    2011-10-12

    To determine the most frequent food allergens causing immediate hypersensitivity reactions in Swiss children of different age groups and to investigate the clinical manifestation of IgE-mediated food allergies in young patients. The study was a prospective analysis of children referred for assessment of immediate type I food hypersensitivity reactions. The diagnostic strategy included a careful history, skin prick tests with commercial extracts and native foods, in vitro determination of specific IgE to food proteins and food challenges when appropriate. A total of 278 food allergies were identified in 151 children with a median age of 1.9 years at diagnosis. Overall, the most frequent food allergens were hen's egg (23.7%), cow's milk (20.1%), peanut (14.0%), hazelnut (10.4%), wheat (6.1%), fish (4.3%), kiwi and soy (2.2% each). In infancy, cow's milk, hen's egg and wheat were the most common allergens. In the second and third year of life however, the top three food allergens were hen's egg, cow's milk and peanut, whereas above the age of 3 years, peanut was number one, followed by hen's egg and fish. Overall, urticaria (59.0%) and angioedema (30.2%) were the most frequent clinical manifestations. Gastrointestinal symptoms were found in 25.9% and respiratory involvement in 25.2%. There were 13 cases (4.7%) of anaphylaxis to peanut, fish, cow's milk, hen's egg, wheat and shrimps. A total of eight allergens account for 83% of IgE-mediated food allergies in Swiss infants and children, with differences in the distribution and order of the most frequently involved food allergens between paediatric age groups.

  8. Genome-wide association study identifies the SERPINB gene cluster as a susceptibility locus for food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marenholz, Ingo; Grosche, Sarah; Kalb, Birgit; Rüschendorf, Franz; Blümchen, Katharina; Schlags, Rupert; Harandi, Neda; Price, Mareike; Hansen, Gesine; Seidenberg, Jürgen; Röblitz, Holger; Yürek, Songül; Tschirner, Sebastian; Hong, Xiumei; Wang, Xiaobin; Homuth, Georg; Schmidt, Carsten O; Nöthen, Markus M; Hübner, Norbert; Niggemann, Bodo; Beyer, Kirsten; Lee, Young-Ae

    2017-10-20

    Genetic factors and mechanisms underlying food allergy are largely unknown. Due to heterogeneity of symptoms a reliable diagnosis is often difficult to make. Here, we report a genome-wide association study on food allergy diagnosed by oral food challenge in 497 cases and 2387 controls. We identify five loci at genome-wide significance, the clade B serpin (SERPINB) gene cluster at 18q21.3, the cytokine gene cluster at 5q31.1, the filaggrin gene, the C11orf30/LRRC32 locus, and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region. Stratifying the results for the causative food demonstrates that association of the HLA locus is peanut allergy-specific whereas the other four loci increase the risk for any food allergy. Variants in the SERPINB gene cluster are associated with SERPINB10 expression in leukocytes. Moreover, SERPINB genes are highly expressed in the esophagus. All identified loci are involved in immunological regulation or epithelial barrier function, emphasizing the role of both mechanisms in food allergy.

  9. YouTube and food allergy: An appraisal of the educational quality of information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, Keerthi; Kearns, Mary; Alvarez-Arango, Santiago; Carrillo-Martin, Ismael; Cuervo-Pardo, Nathaly; Cuervo-Pardo, Lyda; Dimov, Ves; Lang, David M; Lopez-Alvarez, Sonia; Schroer, Brian; Mohan, Kaushik; Dula, Mark; Zheng, Simin; Kozinetz, Claudia; Gonzalez-Estrada, Alexei

    2018-03-07

    Food allergy affects an estimated 8% of children and 3% of adults in the United States. Food-allergic individuals increasingly use the web for medical information. We sought to determine the educational quality of food allergy YouTube videos. We performed a YouTube search using keywords "food allergy" and "food allergies". The 300 most viewed videos were included and analyzed for characteristics, source, and content. Source was further classified as healthcare provider, alternative medicine provider, patient, company, media, and professional society. A scoring system (FA-DQS) was created to evaluate quality (-10 to +34 points). Negative points were assigned for misleading information. Eight reviewers scored each video independently. Three hundred videos were analyzed, with a median of 6351.50 views, 19 likes, and 1 dislike. More video presenters were female (54.3%). The most common type of video source was alternative medicine provider (26.3%). Alternative treatments included the following: water fast, juicing, Ayurveda, apple cider, yoga, visualization, and sea moss. Controversial diagnostics included kinesiology, IgG testing, and pulse test. Almost half of the videos depicted a non-IgE-mediated reaction (49.0%).Videos by professional societies had the highest FA-DQS (7.27). Scores for videos by professional societies were significantly different from other sources (P quality, evidence-based, educational videos on food allergy. © 2018 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

  10. Mechanism for initiation of food allergy: Dependence on skin barrier mutations and environmental allergen costimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Matthew T; Green, Jeremy E; Ferrie, Ryan P; Queener, Ashley M; Kaplan, Mark H; Cook-Mills, Joan M

    2018-02-15

    Mechanisms for the development of food allergy in neonates are unknown but clearly linked in patient populations to a genetic predisposition to skin barrier defects. Whether skin barrier defects contribute functionally to development of food allergy is unknown. The purpose of the study was to determine whether skin barrier mutations, which are primarily heterozygous in patient populations, contribute to the development of food allergy. Mice heterozygous for the filaggrin (Flg) ft and Tmem79 ma mutations were skin sensitized with environmental and food allergens. After sensitization, mice received oral challenge with food allergen, and then inflammation, inflammatory mediators, and anaphylaxis were measured. We define development of inflammation, inflammatory mediators, and food allergen-induced anaphylaxis in neonatal mice with skin barrier mutations after brief concurrent cutaneous exposure to food and environmental allergens. Moreover, neonates of allergic mothers have increased responses to suboptimal sensitization with food allergens. Importantly, responses to food allergens by these neonatal mice were dependent on genetic defects in skin barrier function and on exposure to environmental allergens. ST2 blockade during skin sensitization inhibited the development of anaphylaxis, antigen-specific IgE, and inflammatory mediators. Neonatal anaphylactic responses and antigen-specific IgE were also inhibited by oral pre-exposure to food allergen, but interestingly, this was blunted by concurrent pre-exposure of the skin to environmental allergen. These studies uncover mechanisms for food allergy sensitization and anaphylaxis in neonatal mice that are consistent with features of human early-life exposures and genetics in patients with clinical food allergy and demonstrate that changes in barrier function drive development of anaphylaxis to food allergen. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. IL-9-producing cells in the development of IgE-mediated food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shik, Dana; Tomar, Sunil; Lee, Jee-Boong; Chen, Chun-Yu; Smith, Andrew; Wang, Yui-Hsi

    2017-01-01

    Food allergy is a harmful immune reaction driven by uncontrolled type 2 immune responses. Considerable evidence demonstrates the key roles of mast cells, IgE, and TH2 cytokines in mediating food allergy. However, this evidence provides limited insight into why only some, rather than all, food allergic individuals are prone to develop life-threatening anaphylaxis. Clinical observations suggest that patients sensitized to food through the skin early in life may later develop severe food allergies. Aberrant epidermal thymic stromal lymphopoietin and interleukin (IL) 33 production and genetic predisposition can initiate an allergic immune response mediated by dendritic cells and CD4 + TH2 cells in inflamed skin. After allergic sensitization, intestinal IL-25 and food ingestion enhance concerted interactions between type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) and CD4 + TH2 cells, which perpetuate allergic reactions from the skin to the gut. IL-4 and cross-linking of antigen/IgE/FcεR complexes induce emigrated mast cell progenitors to develop into the multi-functional IL-9-producing mucosal mast cells, which produce prodigious amounts of IL-9 and mast cell mediators to drive intestinal mastocytosis in an autocrine loop. ILC2s and TH9 cells may also serve as alternative cellular sources of IL-9 to augment the amplification of intestinal mastocytosis, which is the key cellular checkpoint in developing systemic anaphylaxis. These findings provide a plausible view of how food allergy develops and progresses in a stepwise manner and that atopic signals, dietary allergen ingestion, and inflammatory cues are fundamental in promoting life-threatening anaphylaxis. This information will aid in improving diagnosis and developing more effective therapies for food allergy-triggered anaphylaxis.

  12. What Principals Should Know About Food Allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munoz-Furlong, Anne

    2002-01-01

    Describes what principals should know about recent research findings on food allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat) that can produce severe or life-threatening reactions in children. Asserts that every school should have trained staff and written procedures for reacting quickly to allergic reactions. (PKP)

  13. Identifying Foods causing Allergies/ Intolerances among Diabetic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: This study was designed to identify the foods that caused allergies / intolerances and symptoms of reaction experienced by diabetic patients attending State Specialist Hospital, Akure. Materials and Methods: Ninety-eight diabetics aged 30-80 years (30 males and 68 females) were included in the study.

  14. Association between timing of food introduction in on first year old and the prevalence of allergies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismael San Mauro-Martín

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Food allergy is an abnormal response after ingestion of an allergen in a food where there is a proven immune mechanism. During the period of breastfeeding, infants are introducing new foods in small quantities and separately for possible allergies. All in relation to the suggested timetable for the introduction of different food groups suggested by the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition. Our project focused on studying the possible relationship between the variability of introduction of the different food groups and the development of allergies in infant.Material and Methods: Retrospective descriptive study in an incidental sample (n = 30. It evolved into an online platform with an Ad Hoc survey, in which data was recollected on the characteristics of allergy, diet, type of birth, and introduction of food were collected.Results: Allergies were found 36% fruit, 20% egg, nuts and dairy 16% and 12%, grains, legumes, seafood and vegetables 4% respectively. 89% were breastfeeding. 78% were born vaginally. 46.2% compliance with the protocol introduction and 53.8% advance or postpone the introduction.Conclusions: The data reviewed suggest that food allergies are influenced by several factors that can influence and affect the number of allergic conditions of a particular region, so it is necessary to define these variables in studies to have greater reliability in the necessary studies performed.

  15. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: Food Allergy Sufferer Lives a Cautious but Normal Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Current Issue Past Issues Home Current issue contents Food allergy sufferer lives a cautious but normal life Follow us Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Food allergy sufferer lives a cautious but normal life Anthony ...

  16. Food allergen law and the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004: falling short of true protection for food allergy sufferers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roses, Jonathan B

    2011-01-01

    In 2004, Congress mandated labeling of food allergens on packaged foods for the first time by passing the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA). FALCPA requires that manufacturers of foods containing one of the eight major allergens responsible for 90 percent of food allergies either state on the food's packaging that the food contains the allergen, or refers to the allergen by a name easily understandable by consumers in the ingredients listing. Despite this important first step in protecting consumers with food allergies, FALCPA left unregulated the use of conditional precautionary statements (e.g., "may contain [allergen]"), which many manufacturers have used as a low-cost shield to liability. Further, FALCPA applies only to packaged foods, and does not mandate listing of food allergen ingredients in restaurants. This article discusses the history of food allergen litigation in the United States, highlighting the problems plaintiffs have faced in seeking recovery for allergic reactions to a defendants' food product, and some of the practical difficulties still extant due to the lack of regulation of precautionary statements. Also presented is a review of the Massachusetts Food Allergy Awareness Act, the first state legislation requiring restaurants to take an active role in educating employees and consumers about the presence and dangers of food allergens.

  17. INTESTINAL MICROBIOCENOSIS, FOOD TOLERANCE AND FOOD ALLERGY. CURRENT STATE OF A PROBLEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. G. Makarova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the review of modern literature the influence of a bacterial factor, first of all — indigenous microflora — on formation of food tolerance and immune answer of a child as a whole is in detail considered. Formation of a microbiocenosis, food and autogenic tolerance happens under the general laws. In this process the primary colonization of intestines and formation of a microflora variety which, as results of the last researches show, comes to an end by 2–4 years of life of a child has special value. In the review the major factors influencing the formation of a child intestinal microbiota both antenatal and postnatal and for the first years of life, and also their interaction are considered. The influence of a bacterial factor on formation of food tolerance and sensibilization processes, and also mechanisms of this influence is in detail discussed. The data on features of a structure of intestinal microflora at children with food allergy including the results of own researches devoted to microbiocenosis at children with food allergy and to development of tactics of management of children with this pathology are provided. The main directions and possibilities of dietary influence on biocenosis structure at children with this pathology are considered.

  18. Diagnosis of food allergy: History, examination and in vivoand in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    the likelihood of clinical food allergy can be identified.[2] Aspects .... Exercise or ingestion of alcohol, coffee or drugs before or after eating the offending food. Co- and cross- ... risk of a severe reaction, such risks may exceed the benefit. In.

  19. Hot topics in paediatric immunology: IgE-mediated food allergy and allergic rhinitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rueter, Kristina; Prescott, Susan

    2014-10-01

    The epidemic of allergic disease is a major public health crisis. The greatest burden of allergies is in childhood, when rapidly rising rates of disease are also most evident. General practitioners (GP) have a key role in recognising and addressing aller-gy-related problems and identifying whether a child requires referral to a paediatric allergist. This article focuses on IgE-mediated food allergies and allergic rhinitis, the most commonly seen conditions in paediatric im-munology. We will discuss prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment strategies. Currently there is no cure for food allergy. Oral tolerance induction continues to be a significant focus of research. All children with a possible food allergy should be referred to an allergist for further testing and advice. Children who develop allergic rhinitis need a regular review by their GP. Immunotherapy should be discussed early in the disease process and needs to be com-menced by an allergist.

  20. Disease-specific health-related quality of life instruments for IgE-mediated food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Salvilla, S A; Dubois, A E J; Flokstra-de Blok, B M J

    2014-01-01

    of the impact of, and investigations and interventions for, IgE-mediated food allergy on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Using a sensitive search strategy, we searched seven electronic bibliographic databases to identify disease-specific quality of life (QOL) tools relating to IgE-mediated food allergy...

  1. Novel therapies in the management of food allergy: Oral ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Studies using anti-immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody in food allergy management are limited, but show promising results. The possible applications are for increasing the sensitivity threshold to certain foods such as peanut, and also for use in combination with OIT to enhance safety and rapidity of the OIT process; however, ...

  2. Socio-Cultural Matrix of Raising a Child with Food Allergies: Experiences of a Migrant Mother

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanagavarapu, Prathyusha

    2004-01-01

    Children with life-threatening food allergies are increasing in number in Australia. A variety of foods such as dairy milk, peanut and tree nuts, fish and egg can cause severe allergic reactions in some children. The foods that cause allergies could trigger severe breathing difficulties (anaphylaxis) for these children and, if not treated…

  3. School nurse perspectives on school policies for food allergy and anaphylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kao, Lauren M; Wang, Julie; Kagan, Olga; Russell, Anne; Mustafa, S Shahzad; Houdek, Diane; Smith, Bridget; Gupta, Ruchi

    2018-03-01

    Although school health care professionals are integral to the management of students with food allergy, their views on school food allergy policies have not yet been reported. To characterize food allergy policies currently being used in schools and their utility and potential barriers to implementation from the perspective of school health care professionals. An electronic survey was disseminated to school nurses at the 2016 National Association of School Nurses meeting and through the Allergy and Asthma Network listserv. Frequencies were calculated to describe participant characteristics and responses. Unadjusted associations were examined using χ 2 tests; adjusted associations were examined using multiple logistic regression models. A total of 242 completed surveys were included in the analysis. Thirty-two percent of nurses reported an allergic reaction in their school in the past year. Most schools used a variety of policies, including anaphylaxis training for staff (96.7%), stock epinephrine availability (81.7%), designated lunch areas (62.2%), and food guidelines for classrooms (61.8%). Barriers to implementation included financial, time, and attitudinal considerations. Schools with pre-K or kindergarten students had higher odds of having designated lunch areas (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-4.1; P schools with a full-time nurse (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.1-6.3; P schools reporting at least 1 severe reaction in the past year (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.5; P school nurses reporting an allergic reaction in the past year, schools use many strategies to minimize allergen exposures and increase anaphylaxis preparedness. Most school nurses favor these policies and acknowledge barriers to implementation. Copyright © 2017 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Recent advances in component resolved diagnosis in food allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magnus P. Borres

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Due to the high prevalence of food allergic diseases globally there are increasing demands in clinical practice for managing IgE-mediated conditions. During the last decade, component resolved diagnostics has been introduced into the field of clinical allergology, providing information that cannot be obtained from extract-based tests. Component resolved data facilitate more precise diagnosis of allergic diseases and identify sensitizations attributable to cross-reactivity. Furthermore it assists risk assessment in clinical practice as sensitization to some allergenic molecules is related to persistence of clinical symptoms and systemic rather than local reactions. The information may also aid the clinician in prescription of oral immunotherapy (OIT in patients with severe symptoms, and in giving advice on food allergen avoidance or on the need to perform food challenges. The use of allergen components is rapidly evolving and increases our possibility to treat food allergic patients with a more individual approach. Using molecular allergology, we can already now better diagnose, prognose and grade the food allergy. In summary, daily routine molecular allergy diagnostics offers a number of benefits that give us a higher diagnostic precision and allow for better management of the patient.

  5. Hazelnut allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ortolani, Claudio; Ballmer-Weber, Barbara K; Hansen, Kirsten Skamstrup

    2000-01-01

    Background: Tree nuts are a common cause of food allergy in Europe. However, few studies deal with real food allergy to hazelnuts in subjects believed to be allergic to this food. Objective: We sought to select subjects with a history of allergic reactions on ingestion of hazelnut and determine how...... many of these have true allergy by means of the double-blind, placebo- controlled food challenge (DBPCFC). Methods: Eighty-six subjects with a history of symptoms after hazelnut ingestion were recruited from 3 allergy centers (Milan, Zurich, and Copenhagen). All subjects underwent skin prick tests...... (SPTs) with aeroallergens and hazelnut, as well as having their specific hazelnut IgE levels determined. Diagnosis of clinical relevant food allergy was made on the basis of the DBPCFC. Results: Sixty-seven (77.9%) of 86 subjects had a positive DBPCFC result; 8 were placebo responders, and 11 were...

  6. Skin manifestations and immunological parameters in childhood food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oehling, A; Fernández, M; Córdoba, H; Sanz, M L

    1997-01-01

    According to Hansen's contact rule, the digestive system should be considered as the main shock organ, yet in food allergy, this is not the case. Very often specific food triggers clinical manifestations not involving the digestive system; that is, reactions are manifested either in the respiratory system, as asthma or rhinitis, or in the skin. In these cases the BALT (broncho-alveolar lymphoid tissue) and GALT (gastrointestinal lymphoid tissue) units play a basic role in the sensitizations. The purpose of this study was to determine the most frequent skin manifestations of food allergy among children, and the most frequently involved foods. We also thought it interesting to evaluate the diagnostic reliability of the different standard immunological parameters utilized by the study team in food allergy. All patients underwent intracutaneous tests with 12 groups of the most frequent food allergens, as well as serum IgE, antigen-specific IgE against foods, and antigen-specific histamine release tests. Antigen-specific IgG4 determination was performed in some cases. The results obtained confirmed previous studies, the most common manifestations being: angioedema (48%), followed by urticaria (31%) and atopic dermatitis (21%). Regarding the frequency of sensitization to different food allergens, in mono- or polisensitization, fish and egg stand out in our environment. Certain food allergens are more frequently responsible for specific skin manifestations. Thus, for fish sensitization, the most frequent skin manifestation is atopic dermatitis (50%); for egg sensitization, angioedema is the most frequent skin manifestation (50%); and for milk, urticaria (50%). Finally, and in agreement with previous works regarding the diagnostic reliability of in vitro techniques, we found that the histamine release test offered the highest percentage of diagnostic reliability. Only for sensitization to milk proteins did antigen-specific IgE demonstrate higher reliability. Once again, we

  7. Exploring the Concern about Food Allergies among Secondary School and University Students in Ontario, Canada: A Descriptive Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majowicz, Shannon E; Jung, James K H; Courtney, Sarah M; Harrington, Daniel W

    2017-01-01

    Our objective was to explore the perceived risk of food allergies among students in Ontario, Canada. We analyzed blinding questions ("I am concerned about food allergies"; "food allergies are currently a big threat to my health") from three existing food safety surveys, given to high school and university undergraduate students ( n = 3,451) circa February 2015, using descriptive analysis, and explored how concern related to demographics and self-reported cooking ability using linear regression. Overall, high school students were neutral in their concern, although Food and Nutrition students specifically were significantly less concerned ( p = 0.002) than high school students overall. University undergraduates were moderately unconcerned about food allergies. Concern was highest in younger students, decreasing between 13 and 18 years of age and plateauing between 19 and 23 years. Among students aged 13-18 years, concern was higher among those who worked or volunteered in a daycare and who had previously taken a food preparation course. Among students aged 19-23 years, concern was higher among females and those with less advanced cooking abilities. Concern was significantly correlated with perceiving food allergies as a personal threat. This study offers a first exploration of perceived risk of food allergies among this demographic and can guide future, more rigorous assessments.

  8. The development of a standardised diet history tool to support the diagnosis of food allergy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Skypala, Isabel J.; Venter, Carina; Meyer, Rosan; deJong, Nicolette W.; Fox, Adam T.; Groetch, Marion; Oude Elberink, J. N.; Sprikkelman, Aline; Diamandi, Louiza; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J.

    2015-01-01

    The disparity between reported and diagnosed food allergy makes robust diagnosis imperative. The allergy-focussed history is an important starting point, but published literature on its efficacy is sparse. Using a structured approach to connect symptoms, suspected foods and dietary intake, a

  9. Physical Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Additional Content Medical News Physical Allergy By Peter J. Delves, PhD, Professor of ... Disorders Exercise-Induced Allergic Reactions Food Allergy Mastocytosis Physical Allergy Seasonal Allergies Year-Round Allergies A physical ...

  10. Novel therapies in the management of food allergy: Oral ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Studies using anti-IgE antibody in food allergy management are limited, but show promising results. Possible applications are for increasing the threshold of sensitivity to certain foods such as peanut,[7,8] and combined with OIT to enhance safety and rapidity of the OIT process.[9,10] Anti-IgE is however not yet licensed for ...

  11. Developing A Food Allergy Curriculum for Parents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Perla A.; Sicherer, Scott H.; Christie, Lynn; Keaveny, Maureen; Noone, Sally; Watkins, Debra; Carlisle, Suzanna K; Jones, Stacie M

    2014-01-01

    Food allergy (FA) is potentially severe and requires intensive education to master allergen avoidance and emergency care. There is evidence suggesting the need for a comprehensive curriculum for food allergic families. This paper describes the results of focus groups conducted to guide the development of a curriculum for parents of food allergic children. The focus groups were conducted using standard methodology with experienced parents of food allergic children. Participants were parents (n=36) with experience managing FA recruited from allergy clinics at two academic centers. Topics identified by parents as key for successful management included as expected: 1) early signs/symptoms, 2) “cross-contamination”, 3) label-reading, 4) self-injectable epinephrine; and 5) becoming a teacher and advocate. Participants also recommended developing a “one pageroad map” to the information, and to provide the information early and be timed according to developmental stages/needs. Suggested first points for curriculum dissemination were emergency rooms, obstetrician and pediatrician offices. Participants also recommended targeting pediatricians, emergency physicians, school personnel, and the community-at-large in educational efforts. Parents often sought FA information from non-medical sources such as the Internet and support groups. These resources were also accessed to find ways to cope with stress. Paradoxically, difficulties gaining access to resources and uncertainty regarding reliability of the information added to the stress experience. Based on reports from experienced parents of food allergic children, newly diagnosed parents could benefit from a comprehensive FA management curriculum. Improving access to clear and concise educational materials would likely reduce stress/anxiety and improve quality of life. PMID:21332804

  12. Immunological mechanisms for desensitization and tolerance in food allergy1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachid, Rima; Umetsu, Dale T.

    2013-01-01

    Food allergy is a major public health concern in westernized countries, estimated to affect 5% of children and 3-4 % of adults. Allergen specific immunotherapy for food allergy is currently being actively evaluated, but is still experimental. The optimal protocol, in terms of the route of administration of the food, target maintenance dose, duration of maintenance therapy and the optimal patient for these procedures are still being worked out. The mechanisms underlying successful food desensitization are also unclear, in part because there is no standard immunotherapy protocol. The mechanisms involved however, may include mast cell and basophil suppression, development of food-specific IgG4 antibodies, reduction in the food specific IgE/IgG4 ratio, up-regulation and expansion of natural or inducible regulatory T cells, a skewing from a Th2 to a Th1 profile and the development of anergy and/or deletion in antigen specific cells. Additional studies are required to elucidate and understand these mechanisms by which desensitization and tolerance are achieved, and which may reveal valuable biomarkers for evaluating and following food allergic patients on immunotherapy. PMID:22821087

  13. Quality of Life, Stress, and Mental Health in Parents of Children with Parentally Diagnosed Food Allergy Compared to Medically Diagnosed and Healthy Controls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birdi, Gurkiran; Cooke, Richard; Knibb, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    Background. Food allergy is related to poorer quality of life (QoL) and mental health of caregivers. Many parents diagnose food allergy in their child without seeking medical care and there is limited research on this group. This study investigated parental QoL and mental health in parents of children with parent-diagnosed food allergy (PA), medically diagnosed food allergy (MA), and a control group with no allergy (NA). Methods. One hundred and fifty parents from a general population completed validated measures of QoL, anxiety, depression, and stress. Results. Parents of children with food allergy (PA or MA) reported higher stress, anxiety, and depression than the control group (all p food allergy related QoL compared to parents of children with PA (p food allergy have significantly poorer mental health compared to healthy controls, irrespective of whether food allergy is medically diagnosed or not. It is important to encourage parents to have their child medically tested for food allergy and to recognise and refer for psychological support where needed.

  14. Debates in allergy medicine: food intolerance does not exist.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreborg, Sten

    2015-01-01

    The term "intolerance" is not mentioned in the World Allergy Organization (WAO) document on allergy nomenclature. "Intolerance" has been used to describe some non-immunological diseases. However, pediatric gastroenterologists mix allergy and intolerance, e.g. by using the term "cow's milk protein allergy/intolerance (CMPA/I)", lumping together all types of mechanisms for not tolerating cow's milk. The basis for this mix is the fact that double-blind oral food challenges are time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, cow's milk exclusion and reintroduction is proposed to be used in primary care for the diagnosis of CMPA in children with common gastrointestinal (GI) problems such as colic and constipation. This may lead to a widespread use of hypoallergenic formulas in children without proven CMPA. In lay language, intolerance describes "not tolerating". To discuss the reasons why the term "intolerance" should not be used in the area of allergy. Presently, intolerance is not part of the allergy nomenclature. It is used by lay persons to describe "not tolerating". Pediatricians use intolerance to describe non-immunological hypersensitivity such as lactose intolerance which is acceptable. However, using the mixed term CMPA/I describing a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms in children, should be avoided. The WAO Nomenclature does not clearly distinguish between non-IgE-mediated allergy and non-allergic hypersensitivity. The term "intolerance" should not be used within the area of allergy. Intolerance should be better defined and the term restricted to some non-immunological/non-allergic diseases and not mixed with allergy, e.g. by using the term CMPA/I. A revision of the WAO nomenclature is proposed.

  15. Health economic analysis of allergen immunotherapy for the management of allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy and venom allergy: A systematic overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asaria, M; Dhami, S; van Ree, R; Gerth van Wijk, R; Muraro, A; Roberts, G; Sheikh, A

    2018-02-01

    The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is developing guidelines for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the management of allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, IgE-mediated food allergy and venom allergy. To inform the development of clinical recommendations, we undertook systematic reviews to critically assess evidence on the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of AIT for these conditions. This study focusses on synthesizing data and gaps in the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of AIT for these conditions. We produced summaries of evidence in each domain, and then, synthesized findings on health economic data identified from four recent systematic reviews on allergic rhinitis, asthma, food allergy and venom allergy, respectively. The quality of these studies was independently assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool for health economic evaluations. Twenty-three studies satisfied our inclusion criteria. Of these, 19 studies investigated the cost-effectiveness of AIT in allergic rhinitis, of which seven were based on data from randomized controlled trials with economic evaluations conducted from a health system perspective. This body of evidence suggested that sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) would be considered cost-effective using the (English) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold of £20 000/quality-adjusted life year (QALY). However, the quality of the studies and the general lack of attention to characterizing uncertainty and handling missing data should be taken into account when interpreting these results. For asthma, there were three eligible studies, all of which had significant methodological limitations; these suggested that SLIT, when used in patients with both asthma and allergic rhinitis, may be cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of £10 726 per QALY. We found one economic modelling

  16. Incidence of food anaphylaxis in people with food allergy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umasunthar, T; Leonardi-Bee, J; Turner, P J; Hodes, M; Gore, C; Warner, J O; Boyle, R J

    2015-11-01

    Food allergy is a common cause of anaphylaxis, but the incidence of anaphylaxis in food allergic people is unknown. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis, using the inverse variance method. Two authors selected studies by consensus, independently extracted data and assessed study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa assessment scale. We searched Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, LILACS and AMED between January 1946 and September 2012 and recent conference abstracts. We included registries, databases or cohort studies which described the number of food anaphylaxis cases in a defined population and time period and applied an assumed population prevalence of food allergy. We included data from 34 studies. There was high heterogeneity between study results, possibly due to variation in study populations, anaphylaxis definition and data collection methods. In food allergic people, medically coded food anaphylaxis had an incidence rate of 0.14 per 100 person-years (95% CI 0.05, 0.35; range 0.01, 1.28). In sensitivity analysis using different estimated food allergy prevalence, the incidence varied from 0.11 to 0.21 per 100 person-years. At age 0-19, the incidence rate for anaphylaxis in food allergic people was 0.20 (95% CI 0.09, 0.43; range 0.01, 2.55; sensitivity analysis 0.08, 0.39). At age 0-4, an incidence rate of up to 7.00 per 100 person-years has been reported. In food allergic people, hospital admission due to food anaphylaxis had an incidence rate of 0.09 (95% CI 0.01, 0.67; range 0.02, 0.81) per 1000 person-years; 0.20 (95% CI 0.10, 0.43; range 0.04, 2.25) at age 0-19 and 0.50 (0.26, 0.93; range 0.08, 2.82) at age 0-4. In food allergic people, the incidence of food allergic reactions which are coded as anaphylaxis by healthcare systems is low at all ages, but appears to be highest in young children. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. FAST: towards safe and effective subcutaneous immunotherapy of persistent life-threatening food allergies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuidmeer-Jongejan Laurian

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The FAST project (Food Allergy Specific Immunotherapy aims at the development of safe and effective treatment of food allergies, targeting prevalent, persistent and severe allergy to fish and peach. Classical allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT, using subcutaneous injections with aqueous food extracts may be effective but has proven to be accompanied by too many anaphylactic side-effects. FAST aims to develop a safe alternative by replacing food extracts with hypoallergenic recombinant major allergens as the active ingredients of SIT. Both severe fish and peach allergy are caused by a single major allergen, parvalbumin (Cyp c 1 and lipid transfer protein (Pru p 3, respectively. Two approaches are being evaluated for achieving hypoallergenicity, i.e. site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modification. The most promising hypoallergens will be produced under GMP conditions. After pre-clinical testing (toxicology testing and efficacy in mouse models, SCIT with alum-absorbed hypoallergens will be evaluated in phase I/IIa and IIb randomized double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC clinical trials, with the DBPC food challenge as primary read-out. To understand the underlying immune mechanisms in depth serological and cellular immune analyses will be performed, allowing identification of novel biomarkers for monitoring treatment efficacy. FAST aims at improving the quality of life of food allergic patients by providing a safe and effective treatment that will significantly lower their threshold for fish or peach intake, thereby decreasing their anxiety and dependence on rescue medication.

  18. FAST: towards safe and effective subcutaneous immunotherapy of persistent life-threatening food allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    The FAST project (Food Allergy Specific Immunotherapy) aims at the development of safe and effective treatment of food allergies, targeting prevalent, persistent and severe allergy to fish and peach. Classical allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT), using subcutaneous injections with aqueous food extracts may be effective but has proven to be accompanied by too many anaphylactic side-effects. FAST aims to develop a safe alternative by replacing food extracts with hypoallergenic recombinant major allergens as the active ingredients of SIT. Both severe fish and peach allergy are caused by a single major allergen, parvalbumin (Cyp c 1) and lipid transfer protein (Pru p 3), respectively. Two approaches are being evaluated for achieving hypoallergenicity, i.e. site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modification. The most promising hypoallergens will be produced under GMP conditions. After pre-clinical testing (toxicology testing and efficacy in mouse models), SCIT with alum-absorbed hypoallergens will be evaluated in phase I/IIa and IIb randomized double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) clinical trials, with the DBPC food challenge as primary read-out. To understand the underlying immune mechanisms in depth serological and cellular immune analyses will be performed, allowing identification of novel biomarkers for monitoring treatment efficacy. FAST aims at improving the quality of life of food allergic patients by providing a safe and effective treatment that will significantly lower their threshold for fish or peach intake, thereby decreasing their anxiety and dependence on rescue medication. PMID:22409908

  19. Role of IL-4 in aversion induced by food allergy in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dourado, Luana Pereira Antunes; Saldanha, Janaína Cláudia da Silva; Gargiulo, Daniela Longo; Noviello, Maria de Lourdes Meirelles; Brant, Cláudia Caldeira; Reis, Maria Letícia Costa; Souza, Raphaela Mendes Fernandes de; Faria, Ana Maria Caetano; Souza, Danielle da Glória de; Cara, Denise Carmona

    2010-01-01

    To ascertain the role of IL-4 in aversion to antigen induced by food allergy, wild type and IL-4 deficient BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin and challenged orally with egg white. Sensitized wild type mice had increased production of IL-4 by spleen and mesenteric lymph node cells in vitro, higher levels of serum anti-ovalbumin IgE and IgG1, aversion to ingestion of the antigen and loss of body weight after continuous oral challenge. Intestinal changes in wild type sensitized mice included eosinophil infiltration and increased mucus production. The IL-4 deficiency impaired the development of food allergy and the aversion to antigen, suggesting the involvement of the antigen specific antibodies. When IL-4 deficient mice received serum from sensitized wild type donors, the aversion was restored. These results indicate that production of IL-4 and specific IgE/IgG1 antibodies correlate with aversion to antigen induced by food allergy in mice. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Profiling families enrolled in food allergy immunotherapy studies.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    DunnGalvin, Audrey

    2009-09-01

    Little is known about specific psychological factors that affect parents\\' decisions to take part in clinical studies. We examined factors, related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL), that may influence parents\\' decision to allow their children to participate in research on clinical food allergy.

  1. Position paper of the EAACI: food allergy due to immunological cross-reactions with common inhalant allergens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werfel, T; Asero, R; Ballmer-Weber, B K; Beyer, K; Enrique, E; Knulst, A C; Mari, A; Muraro, A; Ollert, M; Poulsen, L K; Vieths, S; Worm, M; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K

    2015-09-01

    In older children, adolescents, and adults, a substantial part of all IgE-mediated food allergies is caused by cross-reacting allergenic structures shared by inhalants and foods. IgE stimulated by a cross-reactive inhalant allergen can result in diverse patterns of allergic reactions to various foods. Local, mild, or severe systemic reactions may occur already after the first consumption of a food containing a cross-reactive allergen. In clinical practice, clinically relevant sensitizations are elucidated by skin prick testing or by the determination of specific IgE in vitro. Component-resolved diagnosis may help to reach a diagnosis and may predict the risk of a systemic reaction. Allergy needs to be confirmed in cases of unclear history by oral challenge tests. The therapeutic potential of allergen immunotherapy with inhalant allergens in pollen-related food allergy is not clear, and more placebo-controlled studies are needed. As we are facing an increasing incidence of pollen allergies, a shift in sensitization patterns and changes in nutritional habits, and the occurrence of new, so far unknown allergies due to cross-reactions are expected. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Food allergen sensitization in young children with typical signs and symptoms of immediate-type food allergies: a comparison between monosensitized and polysensitized children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Na Yeon; Kim, Ga Ram; Kim, Joon Hwan; Baek, Ji Hyeon; Yoon, Jung Won; Jee, Hye Mi; Baek, Hye Sung; Jung, Yong Ho; Choi, Sun Hee; Kim, Ki Eun; Shin, Youn Ho; Yum, Hye Yung; Han, Man Yong; Kim, Kyu-Earn

    2015-09-01

    The clinical interpretation of children sensitized to allergens is challenging, particularly in children with food allergies. We aimed to examine clinical differences between children with monosensitization and those with polysensitization to common food allergens and to determine risk factors for polysensitization in young children food allergies. The study included children food allergies. Serum total IgE level was measured, and ImmunoCAP analysis for food allergens was performed. The mean age of the study subjects was 1.6±1.6 years (75 boys and 51 girls). Thirty-eight children (30.2%) were monosensitized and 88 children (69.8%) were polysensitized. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the development of polysensitization to common food allergens was positively associated with a parental history of allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78-22.13; P=0.004), season of birth (summer/fall) (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.10-8.79; P=0.033), and exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of age (aOR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.20-10.25; P=0.022). We found significant clinical differences between children with monosensitization and those with polysensitization to common food allergens and identified risk factors for the development of polysensitization in young children with immediate-type food allergies. Clinicians should consider these clinical risk factors when evaluating, counseling, treating, and monitoring young children with food allergies.

  3. Nutritional management and follow up of infants and children with food allergy: Italian Society of Pediatric Nutrition/Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Task Force Position Statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giovannini, Marcello; D'Auria, Enza; Caffarelli, Carlo; Verduci, Elvira; Barberi, Salvatore; Indinnimeo, Luciana; Iacono, Iride Dello; Martelli, Alberto; Riva, Enrica; Bernardini, Roberto

    2014-01-03

    Although the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of food allergy recognize the role of nutrition, there is few literature on the practical issues concerning the nutritional management of children with food allergies. This Consensus Position Statement focuses on the nutritional management and follow-up of infants and children with food allergy.It provides practical advices for the management of children on exclusion diet and it represents an evidence-based consensus on nutritional intervention and follow-up of infants and children with food allergy. Children with food allergies have poor growth compared to non-affected subjects directly proportional to the quantity of foods excluded and the duration of the diet. Nutritional intervention, if properly planned and properly monitored, has proven to be an effective mean to substantiate a recovery in growth. Nutritional intervention depends on the subject's nutritional status at the time of the diagnosis. The assessment of the nutritional status of children with food allergies should follow a diagnostic pathway that involves a series of successive steps, beginning from the collection of a detailed diet-history. It is essential that children following an exclusion diet are followed up regularly. The periodic re-evaluation of the child is needed to assess the nutritional needs, changing with the age, and the compliance to the diet. The follow- up plan should be established on the basis of the age of the child and following the growth pattern.

  4. IL-4 production by group 2 innate lymphoid cells promotes food allergy by blocking regulatory T-cell function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noval Rivas, Magali; Burton, Oliver T; Oettgen, Hans C; Chatila, Talal

    2016-09-01

    Food allergy is a major health issue, but its pathogenesis remains obscure. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) promote allergic inflammation. However their role in food allergy is largely unknown. We sought to investigate the role of ILC2s in food allergy. Food allergy-prone mice with a gain-of-function mutation in the IL-4 receptor α chain (Il4raF709) were orally sensitized with food allergens, and the ILC2 compartment was analyzed. The requirement for ILC2s in food allergy was investigated by using Il4raF709, IL-33 receptor-deficient (Il1rl1(-/-)), IL-13-deficient (Il13(-/-)), and IL-4-deficient (Il4(-/-)) mice and by adoptive transfer of in vitro-expanded ILC2s. Direct effects of ILC2s on regulatory T (Treg) cells and mast cells were analyzed in coculture experiments. Treg cell control of ILC2s was assessed in vitro and in vivo. Il4raF709 mice with food allergy exhibit increased numbers of ILC2s. IL-4 secretion by ILC2s contributes to the allergic response by reducing allergen-specific Treg cell and activating mast cell counts. IL-33 receptor deficiency in Il4raF709 Il1rl1(-/-) mice protects against allergen sensitization and anaphylaxis while reducing ILC2 induction. Adoptive transfer of wild-type and Il13(-/-) but not Il4(-/-) ILC2s restored sensitization in Il4raF709 Il1rl1(-/-) mice. Treg cells suppress ILC2s in vitro and in vivo. IL-4 production by IL-33-stimulated ILC2s blocks the generation of allergen-specific Treg cells and favors food allergy. Strategies to block ILC2 activation or the IL-33/IL-33 receptor pathway can lead to innovative therapies in the treatment of food allergy. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Food allergies in children: a comparison of parental reports and skin prick test results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camilia Metadea Aji Savitri

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Background Food allergy is common in children and its prevalence is generally on the rise. Imprecise parental reports about reactions to particular foods can lead to unnecessary restrictions. Since children have specific growth requirements, such nutritional restrictions may have disturbing effects on children’s growth and development. Objective To compare parental reports on food reactions to skin prick test results in their children. Method Retrospective, cross sectional study using patient’s medical record data during one-year study period. Data were analyzed manually and statistically, to assess the degree of agreement (Kappa’s coefficient and significance (P. Results We collected data from 154 subjects aged 0-18 years. For every allergen assessed, parents reported more food reactions than positive skin prick test results. Allergy incidence were caused, in order, by cow’s milk and chicken (25.3%, eggs (22.1%, chocolate (20.1%, fruits (14.3%, seafood (13%, and saltwater fish (1.9%. Kappa coefficient are all poor (0.05 except for chicken (P=0.02. Conclusion Most parents tend to overestimate which food cause reactions in their children, as reactions reported were not necessarily allergenic. Therefore, every patient experiencing allergy reactions should undergo skin prick testing to confirm the possibility of allergy.

  6. Mouse model in food allergy: dynamic determination of shrimp ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2008-09-17

    Sep 17, 2008 ... Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB ... Food allergy is now an important health issue, and there is urgent need for a developmental approach to identify ... ideal model and method for the characterization of.

  7. Effects of food allergy on the dietary habits and intake of primary schools' Cypriot children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vassilopoulou, E; Christoforou, C; Andreou, E; Heraclides, A

    2017-07-01

    Aim. To determine whether food allergy affects overall dietary intake and food choices in Cypriot primary school children. Methods. As part of the first epidemiological study in Cyprus on food allergy in primary school children, two 24-hour recalls (one from a week and one from a weekend day) of twenty-eight food allergic children (21 girls) and thirty healthy children (20 girls) aged 6-11 years old, were analysed and compared regarding their macro- and micronutrient content, food choices and meal distribution. Results. Significant differences between the two subgroups of children were estimated regarding the total energy intake and macronutrients, where food allergic children were found to consume in lower quantities, as well as for calcium, niacin, fiber and vitamin E. Food allergic children were also found to avoid combining foods from the various food groups in their meals, and to prefer specific food products from each category, whereas they consumed higher amounts of sugar and fructose. Conclusion. Food allergy in Cypriot food allergic children impacts on both the quality and quantity of food choices, probably due to lack of nutritional education regarding proper elimination diet and alternative nutrient sources.

  8. Application of gamma irradiation for inhibition of food allergy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Byun, M.-W.; Lee, J.-W.; Yook, H.-S.; Jo, Cheorun; Kim, H.-Y.

    2002-01-01

    This study was carried out to evaluate the application of food irradiation technology as a method for reducing food allergy. Milk β-lactoglobulin, chicken egg albumin, and shrimp tropomyosin were used as model food allergens for experiments on allergenic and molecular properties by gamma irradiation. The amount of intact allergens in an irradiated solution was reduced by gamma irradiation depending upon the dose. These results showed that epitopes on the allergens were structurally altered by radiation treatment and that the irradiation technology can be applied to reduce allergenicity of allergic foods

  9. Application of gamma irradiation for inhibition of food allergy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Byun, M.-W. E-mail: mwbyun@kaeri.re.kr; Lee, J.-W.; Yook, H.-S.; Jo, Cheorun; Kim, H.-Y

    2002-03-01

    This study was carried out to evaluate the application of food irradiation technology as a method for reducing food allergy. Milk {beta}-lactoglobulin, chicken egg albumin, and shrimp tropomyosin were used as model food allergens for experiments on allergenic and molecular properties by gamma irradiation. The amount of intact allergens in an irradiated solution was reduced by gamma irradiation depending upon the dose. These results showed that epitopes on the allergens were structurally altered by radiation treatment and that the irradiation technology can be applied to reduce allergenicity of allergic foods.

  10. Clinical manifestations of gastrointestinal form of food allergy in children and approaches to its diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu.R. Chernysh

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Gastrointestinal food allergy is caused by the development of allergic inflammation in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. The mechanisms of this inflammation are immunogflobulin E (IgE-mediated (oral allergic syndrome, immediate gastrointestinal hypersensitivity, non-IgE-mediated (protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, protein-induced enteropathy, protein-induced allergic proctocolitis and mixed IgE- and non-IgE-mediated reactions (eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastritis and eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Gastrointestinal manifestations of food allergy are also combined with symptoms of atopic diseases, more often with atopic dermatitis, urticaria and angioedema. Clinical manifestations of allergic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract are different and non-specific. Common signs of gastrointestinal allergy include: vomiting (occurs from a few minutes to 4–6 hours after eating; сolic (immediately or several hours after eating; constipation; diarrhea; refusal of food (from a specific product or complete refusal to eat; abdominal pain; flatulence, the presence of mucus and eosinophils in the stool; poor appetite; headache. Differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal food allergy should be carried out with diseases such as disease and abnormalities in the development of the digestive system, mental and metabolic disorders, intoxications, infectious diseases, pancreatic endocrine gland failure, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiencies, disaccharidic insufficiency, side effects of medications, endocrine pathology, irritable bowel syndrome. Methods for diagnosing gastrointestinal allergy, which currently exist, are limited and imperfect. This requires further scientific researches aimed at timely detection of this pathology, prevention in genetically predisposed children, development of optimal diagnostic algorithms, prevention of the progression of clinical manifestations, the choice of individual diet therapy and

  11. Differential factors associated with challenge-proven food allergy phenotypes in a population cohort of infants: a latent class analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, R L; Allen, K J; Dharmage, S C; Lodge, C J; Koplin, J J; Ponsonby, A-L; Wake, M; Lowe, A J; Tang, M L K; Matheson, M C; Gurrin, L C

    2015-05-01

    Food allergy, eczema and wheeze are early manifestations of allergic disease and commonly co-occur in infancy although their interrelationship is not well understood. Data from population studies are essential to determine whether there are differential drivers of multi-allergy phenotypes. We aimed to define phenotypes and risk factors of allergic disease using latent class analysis (LCA). The HealthNuts study is a prospective, population-based cohort of 5276 12-month-old infants in Melbourne, Australia. LCA was performed using the following baseline data collected at age 12 months: food sensitization (skin prick test ≥ 2 mm) and allergy (oral food challenge) to egg, peanut and sesame; early (food-sensitized eczema (16%), single egg allergy (9%), multiple food allergies (predominantly peanut) (3%) and multiple food allergies (predominantly egg) (2%). Compared to the baseline group of no allergic disease, shared risk factors for all allergic phenotypes were parents born overseas (particularly Asia), delayed introduction of egg, male gender (except for single egg allergy) and family history of allergic disease, whilst exposure to pet dogs was protective for all phenotypes. Other factors including filaggrin mutations, vitamin D and the presence of older siblings differed by phenotype. Multiple outcomes in infancy can be used to determine five distinct allergy phenotypes at the population level, which have both shared and separate risk factors suggesting differential mechanisms of disease. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Dietary Fiber and Bacterial SCFA Enhance Oral Tolerance and Protect against Food Allergy through Diverse Cellular Pathways

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Tan

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The incidence of food allergies in western countries has increased dramatically in recent decades. Tolerance to food antigens relies on mucosal CD103+ dendritic cells (DCs, which promote differentiation of regulatory T (Treg cells. We show that high-fiber feeding in mice improved oral tolerance and protected from food allergy. High-fiber feeding reshaped gut microbial ecology and increased the release of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs, particularly acetate and butyrate. High-fiber feeding enhanced oral tolerance and protected against food allergy by enhancing retinal dehydrogenase activity in CD103+ DC. This protection depended on vitamin A in the diet. This feeding regimen also boosted IgA production and enhanced T follicular helper and mucosal germinal center responses. Mice lacking GPR43 or GPR109A, receptors for SCFAs, showed exacerbated food allergy and fewer CD103+ DCs. Dietary elements, including fiber and vitamin A, therefore regulate numerous protective pathways in the gastrointestinal tract, necessary for immune non-responsiveness to food antigens.

  13. Role of atopy patch test for diagnosis of food allergy-related gastrointestinal symptoms in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boonyaviwat, Onsuree; Pacharn, Punchama; Jirapongsananuruk, Orathai; Vichyanond, Pakit; Visitsunthorn, Nualanong

    2015-12-01

    Double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge is the gold standard for diagnosing food allergy. However, it is a time-consuming procedure and requires onsite medical supervision and resuscitating medicines and devices on hand. The objective of this study was to compare the atopy patch test (APT) with the oral food challenge test (OFC) in children with suspected food allergy-related gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. A prospective self-controlled study enrolled children with a history of suspected food allergy-related GI symptoms. Skin prick test (SPT) and APT using lyophilized and commercial allergen extracts for cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, and shrimp were evaluated, and OFC was performed. Thirty-nine patients (25 boys, median age 2.4 yrs) with 76 events of suspected food allergy-related GI symptoms were enrolled. SPT was positive in 11/76 events (14.5%). Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratio were calculated related to the food challenge outcome. Of 41 OFC, 30 (73.2%) were positive. APT using lyophilized allergen extracts yielded high sensitivity (80%) and high positive predictive value (85.7%). APT using commercial allergen extracts yielded low sensitivity (30%) but high specificity (90%). The negative predictive value of APT using lyophilized and commercial allergen extracts was 53.8% and 32.2%, respectively. All cases with positive APT using lyophilized allergen extracts together with positive SPT also had positive OFC. In contrast to commercial extracts, APT with lyophilized allergen extracts is reliable, safe, and maybe useful for the diagnosis of suspected food allergy-related GI symptoms in children. OFC is still needed in most of the cases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Effect of a drug allergy educational program and antibiotic prescribing guideline on inpatient clinical providers' antibiotic prescribing knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumenthal, Kimberly G; Shenoy, Erica S; Hurwitz, Shelley; Varughese, Christy A; Hooper, David C; Banerji, Aleena

    2014-01-01

    Inpatient providers have varying levels of knowledge in managing patients with drug and/or penicillin (PCN) allergy. Our objectives were (1) to survey inpatient providers to ascertain their baseline drug allergy knowledge and preparedness in caring for patients with PCN allergy, and (2) to assess the impact of an educational program paired with the implementation of a hospital-based clinical guideline. We electronically surveyed 521 inpatient providers at a tertiary care medical center at baseline and again 6 weeks after an educational initiative paired with clinical guideline implementation. The guideline informed providers on drug allergy history taking and antibiotic prescribing for inpatients with PCN or cephalosporin allergy. Of 323 unique responders, 42% (95% CI, 37-48%) reported no prior education in drug allergy. When considering those who responded to both surveys (n = 213), we observed a significant increase in knowledge about PCN skin testing (35% vs 54%; P allergy over time (54% vs 80%; P allergy was severe significantly improved (77% vs 92%; P = .03). Other areas, including understanding absolute contraindications to receiving a drug again and PCN cross-reactivity with other antimicrobials, did not improve significantly. Inpatient providers have drug allergy knowledge deficits but are interested in tools to help them care for inpatients with drug allergies. Our educational initiative and hospital guideline implementation were associated with increased PCN allergy knowledge in several crucial areas. To improve care of inpatients with drug allergy, more research is needed to evaluate hospital policies and sustainable educational tools. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Milk Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Milk Allergy KidsHealth / For Teens / Milk Allergy What's in this ... to find out. What Happens With a Milk Allergy? Food allergies involve the body's immune system, which ...

  16. Polysaccharide isolated from Aloe vera gel suppresses ovalbumin-induced food allergy through inhibition of Th2 immunity in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Dajeong; Kim, Hyuk Soon; Shin, Eunju; Do, Seon-Gil; Lee, Chong-Kil; Kim, Young Mi; Lee, Min Bum; Min, Keun Young; Koo, Jimo; Kim, Su Jeong; Nam, Seung Taek; Kim, Hyun Woo; Park, Young Hwan; Choi, Wahn Soo

    2018-05-01

    An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to harmless substance called allergen that gains access to the body. Food allergy is a hypersensitive immune reaction to food proteins and the number of patients with food allergy has recently increased. Aloe Vera is used for wellness and medicinal purposes. In particular, Aloe vera has been reported to enhance immunity. However, the effect of Aloe vera on food allergy is not yet known. In this study, we investigated the effects of processed Aloe vera gel (PAG) containing low molecular weight Aloe polysaccharide (AP) on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy in mice. Allergic symptoms, rectal temperature, and diarrhea were measured in OVA-induced food allergy mice. Other allergic parameters were also analyzed by RT-PCR, ELISA, flow cytometry, and other biochemical methods. As the results, PAG suppressed the decrease of body temperature, diarrhea, and allergic symptoms in OVA-induced food allergy mice. PAG also reduced serum concentrations of type 2 helper T cell (Th2) cytokines (Interleukin-(IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13) as well as histamine, mast cell protease-1 (MCP-1), and immunoglobulin (Ig)E. PAG blocked the degranulation of mast cells and infiltration of eosinophils in intestine. Furthermore, PAG suppressed the population of Th2 cells in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. PAG also increased the production of IL-10 and population of type 1 regulatory T (Tr1) cells in mice with food allergy. Taken together, our findings suggest that PAG suppressed Th2 immune responses through, at least partially, stimulating the secretion of IL-10 in food allergy mice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Food allergy, a summary of eight cases in the UK criminal and civil courts: effective last resort for vulnerable consumers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gowland, M Hazel; Walker, Michael J

    2015-08-15

    Food allergy has a forensic context. The authors describe eight cases in the UK courts involving fatalities, personal injury or criminal non-compliance with food law from mainly 'grey' literature sources. The potentially severe consequences for people with food allergy of contraventions of labelling law have led to enforcement action up to criminal prosecution for what might otherwise be regarded as 'trivial' non-compliance. The authors suggest there should be central collation of such cases. Non-compliances should be followed up in a more rapid and robust manner. Evidence of fraud in the catering supply chain supports recent calls for zero tolerance of food fraud. Businesses must guard against gaps in allergen management, for which there are readily available sources of training and guidance, but also against fraudulent substitution in the supply chain, about which training and guidance should be developed. New allergen labelling legislation and case law appear to place responsibility on food businesses even for the forensically problematic area of allergen cross-contamination. The courts can be an effective last resort for vulnerable consumers; however, there is evidence of knowledge and skill gaps in both the investigation and prosecution of potentially serious incidents of food allergen mismanagement and mislabelling. Thorough investigation of food allergy deaths is required with a tenacious and skilled approach, including early realisation that samples of the food and/or stomach contents from a post mortem examination should be retained and analysed. The supply chain must be rigorously examined to find out where adulteration or contamination with the fatal allergen occurred. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. DIGESTIBILITY AND ORAL TOLERANCE IN A MOUSE MODEL FOR FOOD ALLERGY

    Science.gov (United States)

    An animal model for food allergy is needed to test novel proteins produced through biotechnology for potential allergenicity. We demonstrate that mice can distinguish allergens from non-allergens when exposed to foods orally, both in terms of oral tolerance and allergic antibody ...

  19. Patterns of adaptation to children's food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedele, D A; McQuaid, E L; Faino, A; Strand, M; Cohen, S; Robinson, J; Atkins, D; Hourihane, J O'B; Klinnert, M D

    2016-04-01

    Families with food allergy (FA) are at risk of reduced quality of life and elevated anxiety. A moderate level of anxiety may be beneficial to sustain vigilance for food avoidance; however, excessive anxiety may increase risk for burden and maladjustment. The current study presents a framework for understanding the patterns of adaptation to FA across families and to identify typologies of families that would benefit from intervention. Participants included 57 children, 6-12 years old with documented FA, and their mothers. Families were assessed using the Food Allergy Management and Adaptation Scale. Families also completed measures of quality of life, anxiety, FA management, and psychosocial impairment. A hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that 56 of the 57 families of food-allergic children were categorized into four groups that differed on their adequacy of family FA management, levels of anxiety, and balanced psychosocial functioning: balanced responders (n = 23; 41%), high responders (n = 25; 45%), and low responders (n = 3; 5%). The fourth group, anxious high responders (n = 5; 9%), was characterized by extremely high maternal FA anxiety scores and low scores for balanced integration of FA management and psychosocial functioning. Families in clusters differed across illness and psychosocial outcome variables. Families with FA were characterized by patterns of FA management, anxiety, and ability to integrate FA demands into daily life. Identified adaptation patterns correspond with clinical impressions and provide a framework for identifying families in need of intervention. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Infant feeding practices and reported food allergies at 6 years of age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luccioli, Stefano; Zhang, Yuanting; Verrill, Linda; Ramos-Valle, Moraima; Kwegyir-Afful, Ernest

    2014-09-01

    The goal of this study was to identify the frequency of physician-diagnosed food allergies among 6-year-old US children and study the impact of exclusive breastfeeding and complementary food introduction on this frequency. Data were analyzed from children who participated in the Infant Feeding Practices Study II Year 6 Follow-Up Study (Y6FU). Children with probable food allergy (pFA) were defined as children with report of physician-diagnosed food allergy at age 6 years. Subgroups of pFA included children who were not diagnosed before 1 year of age (new pFA) and those with atopic risk factors (high risk). Prevalence of total pFA in the Y6FU was 6.34%. The majority of these children had new pFA and high-risk factors. Higher maternal education, higher family income, family history of food allergy, and reported eczema before 1 year of age were significantly associated with higher odds of total or new pFA. Exclusive breastfeeding duration and timing of complementary food introduction were not significantly associated with total pFA. However, exclusive breastfeeding of ≥4 months compared with no breastfeeding was marginally associated with lower odds of new pFA (adjusted odds ratio: 0.51; P = .07); this effect was not observed with high-risk children. Analysis of infant and maternal variables in the Y6FU cohort of US children revealed that socioeconomic and atopic factors were the main predictors of pFA at age 6 years. Exclusive breastfeeding of ≥4 months may have a preventive effect on development of pFA after 1 year of age in non high-risk children. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  1. Acute and long-term management of food allergy: systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Silva, D; Geromi, M; Panesar, S S; Muraro, A; Werfel, T; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, K; Roberts, G; Cardona, V; Dubois, A E J; Halken, S; Host, A; Poulsen, L K; Van Ree, R; Vlieg-Boerstra, B J; Agache, I; Sheikh, A

    2014-02-01

    Allergic reactions to food can have serious consequences. This systematic review summarizes evidence about the immediate management of reactions and longer-term approaches to minimize adverse impacts. Seven bibliographic databases were searched from their inception to September 30, 2012, for systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, quasi-randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before-and-after and interrupted time series studies. Experts were consulted for additional studies. There was no language or geographic restrictions. Two reviewers critically appraised the studies using the appropriate tools. Data were not suitable for meta-analysis due to heterogeneity so were narratively synthesized. Eighty-four studies were included, but two-thirds were at high risk of potential bias. There was little evidence about acute management for non-life-threatening reactions. H1-antihistamines may be of benefit, but this evidence was in part derived from studies on those with cross-reactive birch pollen allergy. Regarding long-term management, avoiding the allergenic food or substituting an alternative was commonly recommended, but apart from for infants with cow's milk allergy, there was little high-quality research on this management approach. To reduce symptoms in children with cow's milk allergy, there was evidence to recommend alternatives such as extensively hydrolyzed formula. Supplements such as probiotics have not proved helpful, but allergen-specific immunotherapy may be disease modifying and therefore warrants further exploration. Food allergy can be debilitating and affects a significant number of people. However, the evidence base about acute and longer-term management is weak and needs to be strengthened as a matter of priority. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Eczema in early childhood, sociodemographic factors and lifestyle habits are associated with food allergy: a nested case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Shoshan, Moshe; Soller, Lianne; Harrington, Daniel W; Knoll, Megan; La Vieille, Sebastian; Fragapane, Joseph; Joseph, Lawrence; St Pierre, Yvan; Wilson, Kathie; Elliott, Susan J; Clarke, Ann E

    2015-01-01

    Studies suggest an increase in food allergy prevalence over the last decade, but the contributing factors remain unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the most common food allergies and atopic history, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits. We conducted a case-control study nested within the SPAACE study (Surveying Prevalence of Food Allergy in All Canadian Environments) – a cross-Canada, random telephone survey. Cases consisted of individuals with probable food allergy (self-report of convincing symptoms and/or physician diagnosis) to milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, shellfish, fish, wheat, soy, or sesame. Controls consisted of nonallergic individuals, matched for age. Cases and controls were queried on personal and family history of atopy, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between atopy, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits with probable food allergy. Between September 2010 and September 2011, 480 cases and 4,950 controls completed the questionnaire. For all 9 allergens, factors associated with a higher risk of probable allergy were as follows: (1) personal history of eczema (in the first 2 years of life), asthma or hay fever (odds ratio, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.5; OR 2.8, 95% CI 2.2-3.6, and OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.8-3.0, respectively), (2) maternal, paternal or sibling's food allergy (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.5-5.6; OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.8-5.1, and OR 3.1, 95% CI 2.2-4.2), (3) high household income (top 20%; OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0). Males and older individuals were less likely to have food allergy (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9, and OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.00). Eczema in the first 2 years of life was the strongest risk factor for egg, peanut, tree nut and fish allergy. This is the largest population-based nested case-control study exploring factors associated with food allergies. Our results reveal that, in addition to previously reported

  3. Exploiting Inhibitory Siglecs to Combat Food Allergies

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0302 TITLE: Exploiting Inhibitory Siglecs to Combat Food Allergies PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Michael Kulis, Ph.D...CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599 REPORT DATES: October 2017 TYPE OF REPORT: Annual PREPARED FOR...Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services , Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite

  4. Impact of elimination diets on growth and nutritional status in children with multiple food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Melissa J; Adams, Jennifer; Voutilainen, Helena; Feustel, Paul J; Celestin, Jocelyn; Järvinen, Kirsi M

    2015-03-01

    Impairment of growth has been reported in food-allergic children. It is not known whether this is related to the extent of food allergies. We sought to compare growth, nutritional status, and nutrient intake in children with food allergy either avoiding cow's milk or avoiding cow's milk and wheat, which are staples of the diet in young children. Infants and young children with challenge-proven allergy were recruited to this prospective study. They were strictly avoiding their allergic food triggers, either cow's milk, or cow's milk and wheat. They were counseled by a dietitian specialized in food allergies on food avoidance diets and nutritionally adequate supplementation at regular intervals. A 3-day food diary was kept. Children's height, weight, and laboratory data for nutritional parameters were monitored at 8-month intervals. A total of 18 patients avoiding milk and 28 patients avoiding milk and wheat were evaluated at an average of 12, 21, and 28 months of age. During the follow-up, the markers of nutritional status, nutrient intake or height for age, and weight for height were comparable between the two groups, although the means for anthropometric measures were below the average for age in both groups. The extent of food elimination diet has no impact on growth or nutritional status of food-allergic children, when diet is adequately supplemented. Close physician and dietitian follow-up are essential for food-allergic children when avoiding one or more foods, which are staples of the diet. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Prevalence of non-food allergies among non-immigrants, long-time immigrants and recent immigrants in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Jiayun; Sbihi, Hind

    2016-12-27

    The prevalence of allergic conditions has been increasing worldwide, with the highest rates seen in Western countries like Canada. The development of allergies is known to be related to both genetic and environmental factors, but the causal pathways remain unclear. Studies on immigrants provide a unique opportunity to disentangle these two factors and provide a better understanding of the disease aetiology. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between immigration status and prevalence of non-food allergies in a population-based study of Canadians. Data of 116,232 respondents from the Canadian Community Health Survey (Cycle 3.1, 2005) were used in a multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between immigration status (non-immigrant, long-time immigrant [>10 years] and recent immigrant [≤10 years]) and self-reported doctor-diagnosed non-food allergies, adjusting for potential confounders. The highest prevalence of non-food allergies was found among non-immigrants (29.6%), followed by long-time immigrants (23.9%) and then recent immigrants (14.3%). The odds of non-food allergies were reduced by 60% (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.45) among recent immigrants and 25% (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.70, 0.80) among long-time immigrants, compared with non-immigrants, after adjusting for sex, age, socio-economic status and rurality. This study finds a distinctly lower prevalence of non-food allergies among immigrants compared with non-immigrants, with the difference diminishing with longer duration of residence in Canada. The findings highlight the potential of environmental determinants of allergy development that warrant further investigation, and demonstrate the need for multicultural strategies to manage the public health burden of allergic conditions.

  6. The EuroPrevall-INCO surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children from China, India and Russia: the study methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, G W K; Mahesh, P A; Ogorodova, L; Leung, T F; Fedorova, O; Holla, A D; Fernandez-Rivas, M; Clare Mills, E N; Kummeling, I; van Ree, R; Yazdanbakhsh, M; Burney, P

    2010-03-01

    Very little is known regarding the global variations in the prevalence of food allergies. The EuroPrevall-INCO project has been developed to evaluate the prevalence of food allergies in China, India and Russia using the standardized methodology of the EuroPrevall protocol used for studies in the European Union. The epidemiological surveys of the project were designed to estimate variations in the prevalence of food allergy and exposure to known or suspected risk factors for food allergy and to compare the data with different European countries. Random samples of primary schoolchildren were recruited from urban and rural regions of China, Russia and India for screening to ascertain possible adverse reactions to foods. Cases and controls were then selected to answer a detailed questionnaire designed to evaluate the possible risk factors of food allergies. Objective evidence of sensitisation including skin-prick test and serum specific IgE measurement was also collected. More than 37 000 children from the three participating countries have been screened. The response rates for the screening phase ranged from 83% to 95%. More than 3000 cases and controls were studied in the second phase of the study. Further confirmation of food allergies by double blind food challenge was conducted. This will be the first comparative study of the epidemiology of food allergies in China, India, and Russia using the same standardized methodology. The findings of these surveys will complement the data obtained from Europe and provide insights into the development of food allergy.

  7. A shorter and more specific oral sensitization-based experimental model of food allergy in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailón, Elvira; Cueto-Sola, Margarita; Utrilla, Pilar; Rodríguez-Ruiz, Judith; Garrido-Mesa, Natividad; Zarzuelo, Antonio; Xaus, Jordi; Gálvez, Julio; Comalada, Mònica

    2012-07-31

    Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is one of the most prevalent human food-borne allergies, particularly in children. Experimental animal models have become critical tools with which to perform research on new therapeutic approaches and on the molecular mechanisms involved. However, oral food allergen sensitization in mice requires several weeks and is usually associated with unspecific immune responses. To overcome these inconveniences, we have developed a new food allergy model that takes only two weeks while retaining the main characters of allergic response to food antigens. The new model is characterized by oral sensitization of weaned Balb/c mice with 5 doses of purified cow's milk protein (CMP) plus cholera toxin (CT) for only two weeks and posterior challenge with an intraperitoneal administration of the allergen at the end of the sensitization period. In parallel, we studied a conventional protocol that lasts for seven weeks, and also the non-specific effects exerted by CT in both protocols. The shorter protocol achieves a similar clinical score as the original food allergy model without macroscopically affecting gut morphology or physiology. Moreover, the shorter protocol caused an increased IL-4 production and a more selective antigen-specific IgG1 response. Finally, the extended CT administration during the sensitization period of the conventional protocol is responsible for the exacerbated immune response observed in that model. Therefore, the new model presented here allows a reduction not only in experimental time but also in the number of animals required per experiment while maintaining the features of conventional allergy models. We propose that the new protocol reported will contribute to advancing allergy research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Prevalence of common food allergies in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nwaru, B. I.; Hickstein, L.; Panesar, S. S.; Roberts, G.; Muraro, A.; Sheikh, A.; Halken, Susanne; Hoffmann-Sommergruber, Karin; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten; Worm, Margitta; Beyer, Kirsten; Dubois, Anthony; Eigenmann, Philippe; van Ree, Ronald; Poulsen, Lars; Cardona, Vicky; Agache, Ioana; Papadopoulos, Nikos; Akdis, Cezmi; DuToit, George; Monserrat, Fernandez Rivas; Høst, Arne; Knol, Edward; Lack, Gideon; Marchisotto, Mary Jane; Niggemann, Bodo; Skypala, Isabel; Venter, Alain Schoepfer Carina; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber; Ballmer-Weber, Barbara; Nilsson, Caroline

    2014-01-01

    Allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish constitutes the majority of food allergy reactions, but reliable estimates of their prevalence are lacking. This systematic review aimed to provide up-to-date estimates of their prevalence in Europe. Studies published in

  9. The psychosocial impact of an activity holiday for young children with severe food allergy: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knibb, Rebecca C; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B

    2013-06-01

    Food allergy has been shown to severely affect quality of life (QoL) in children and their families. The Anaphylaxis Campaign U.K. supports families with allergic children and as part of that support ran an activity holiday for those with food allergy. This study investigated the effectiveness of this activity holiday for reducing anxiety and improving QoL and food allergy management for these children. Measures were taken at baseline, at the start of the activity holiday, at the end of the holiday, at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Children (n = 24) completed a paediatric food allergy-specific QoL questionnaire (PFA-QL), a generic QoL questionnaire (PedsQL, the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the children's health locus of control (CHLC) scale at all stages of the study. There were significant improvements in social QoL, food allergy-specific QoL, total CHLC and internal locus of control scores over time (p > 0.05). There were significant decreases in powerful others locus of control, total anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder scores (p holiday was of significant benefit to the children who took part, providing support for the need for activity holidays such as this for children with severe food allergy. Ways in which adaptive locus of control and improved quality of life can be facilitated need to be further explored. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. Colonoscopic allergen provocation test with rBet v 1 in patients with pollen-associated food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pickert, C N; Lorentz, A; Manns, M P; Bischoff, S C

    2012-10-01

    After consumption of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, several patients with pollen allergy experience gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptoms that are possibly caused by pollen-associated food allergy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the colonoscopic allergen provocation (COLAP) test using the recombinant birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 (rBet v 1) for in vivo diagnosis of pollen-associated food allergy manifesting in the GI tract. Thirty-four patients with a history of adverse reactions to food, GI tract symptoms, and birch pollen pollinosis and five healthy controls underwent COLAP test. Twenty minutes after endoscopic challenge of the cecal mucosa with rBet v 1, the mucosal wheal and flare reaction was registered semiquantitatively, and tissue biopsy specimens were examined for eosinophil mucosal activation. The mucosal reaction to rBet v 1 was correlated with the presence of pollinosis (P = 0.004), history of adverse reaction to Bet v 1-associated food allergens (P = 0.001), and tissue eosinophils' activation (P foods and in four of 18 (22%) patients with a negative history (P food allergy manifesting in the GI tract. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  11. Boletus edulis: a digestion-resistant allergen may be relevant for food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helbling, A; Bonadies, N; Brander, K A; Pichler, W J

    2002-05-01

    Fungal components can cause allergic symptoms either through inhalation, ingestion or contact. Whereas respiratory allergy is thought to be induced by spores, allergic reactions following ingestion are attributed to other parts of the mushroom. Reports of food-related allergic reactions due to the edible mushroom Boletus edulis have occasionally been reported. The aim of the study was to investigate whether separate allergens may be detected in alimentary allergy to Boletus edulis. Sera of two subjects, one with recurrent anaphylaxis and the other with a predominantly oral allergy syndrome following ingestion of Boletus edulis, have been analysed by a time-course digestion assay using simulated gastric fluid and by SDS-PAGE immunoblotting. Sera of four Boletus edulis skin prick test-negative subjects and all without clinical symptoms to ingested Boletus edulis served as controls. In lyophilized Boletus edulis extract, at least four water-soluble proteins were detected, the most reactive at 55 kDa and at 80 kDa. Following the time-course digestion assay, IgE binding was found to a 75-kDa protein, but only if the sera of the subject with recurrent anaphylaxis was used. The data indicate that Boletus edulis can cause an IgE-mediated food allergy due to a digestion-stabile protein at 75 kDa. No IgE immune response to this protein was detected in the serum of a subject with respiratory allergy and oral allergy syndrome to Boletus edulis nor in control sera.

  12. Development of a questionnaire to measure quality of life in adolescents with food allergy: the FAQL-teen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resnick, Elena S; Pieretti, Mariah M; Maloney, Jennifer; Noone, Sally; Muñoz-Furlong, Anne; Sicherer, Scott H

    2010-11-01

    Living with food allergies affects quality of life (QOL) and may be particularly problematic for teenagers. To develop a validated food allergy QOL assessment tool for US adolescents (FAQL-teen). Initial items were developed through expert opinion, literature review, and adolescent focus groups, resulting in an 88-question impact assessment questionnaire. This questionnaire was completed by 52 adolescents for effect scoring; final instrument questions were determined through analysis of effect scores. The final 17-item instrument was completed by 203 participants aged 13 to 19 years via an Internet link on the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Web site and via paper surveys distributed at a Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network conference. Items were scored on a 7-point Likert scale: 0 corresponded to "not troubled/limited," 3 to "moderately troubled/limited," and 6 to "extremely troubled/limited." Areas most troubling included limitations on social activities (score, 2.7), not being able to eat what others were eating (score, 2.7), and limited choice of restaurants (score, 3.9). Instrument validation steps showed strong internal validity (Cronbach α = .9). The instrument discriminated by disease severity: adolescents with a history of anaphylaxis had significantly lower QOL (higher scores) than did those without a history of anaphylaxis (P = .003). While developing a food allergy QOL assessment tool for US adolescents (FAQL-teen), we identified multiple social and emotional concerns that could be targeted for adolescent counseling. This instrument is internally valid and has the ability to discriminate, making it a useful tool in adolescent food allergy studies. Copyright © 2010 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Development, validity and reliability of the food allergy independent measure (FAIM)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Velde, J. L.; Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; Oude Elberink, J. N. G.; DunnGalvin, A.; Hourihane, J. O.'B.; Duiverman, E. J.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    2010-01-01

    The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form, -Teenager Form and -Adult Form (FAQLQ-CF, -TF and -AF) have recently been developed. To measure construct validity in the FAQLQs, a suitable independent measure was needed with which FAQLQ scores could be correlated. However, in food

  14. Prevalence of Self-Reported Food Allergy in Six Regions of Inner Mongolia, Northern China: A Population-Based Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiao-Yan; Zhuang, Yan; Ma, Ting-Ting; Zhang, Biao; Wang, Xue-Yan

    2018-04-01

    BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported food allergy in 6 regions of Inner Mongolia, northern China. MATERIAL AND METHODS A random cluster sampling population study using a field questionnaire was distributed to 4714 individuals in 6 regions within Inner Mongolia, northern China; the study included ethnic Mongol minorities and Chinese Han populations. The questionnaire obtained data on ethnicity, age, sex, level of education, income, socioeconomic status, rural versus urban location, medical and family history, and food allergy. RESULTS There were 4441 (73.5%) completed questionnaires. The prevalence of self-reported food allergy was 18.0% (15.2% men; 20.6% women) and was age-related, being significantly greater in children compared with adults (38.7% vs. 11.9%) (P1, P<0.001). There were no significant associations between the prevalence of food allergy and birth history, infant feeding, and duration of breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS An increase in the prevalence of self-reported food allergy was found in the Inner Mongolia region of northern China, which was greater in urban areas compared with rural areas.

  15. Dietary Fiber and Bacterial SCFA Enhance Oral Tolerance and Protect against Food Allergy through Diverse Cellular Pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Jian; McKenzie, Craig; Vuillermin, Peter J; Goverse, Gera; Vinuesa, Carola G; Mebius, Reina E; Macia, Laurence; Mackay, Charles R

    2016-06-21

    The incidence of food allergies in western countries has increased dramatically in recent decades. Tolerance to food antigens relies on mucosal CD103(+) dendritic cells (DCs), which promote differentiation of regulatory T (Treg) cells. We show that high-fiber feeding in mice improved oral tolerance and protected from food allergy. High-fiber feeding reshaped gut microbial ecology and increased the release of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly acetate and butyrate. High-fiber feeding enhanced oral tolerance and protected against food allergy by enhancing retinal dehydrogenase activity in CD103(+) DC. This protection depended on vitamin A in the diet. This feeding regimen also boosted IgA production and enhanced T follicular helper and mucosal germinal center responses. Mice lacking GPR43 or GPR109A, receptors for SCFAs, showed exacerbated food allergy and fewer CD103(+) DCs. Dietary elements, including fiber and vitamin A, therefore regulate numerous protective pathways in the gastrointestinal tract, necessary for immune non-responsiveness to food antigens. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Assessments of the Veteran Medication Allergy Knowledge Gap and Potential Safety Improvements with the Veteran Health Information Exchange (VHIE).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Eric; Botts, Nathan; Jordan, Harmon; Olinger, Lois; Donahue, Margaret; Hsing, Nelson

    2016-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Health Information Exchange (VHIE, formerly Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record, or VLER) had been deployed at all VA sites and used to exchange clinical information with private sector healthcare partners nationally. This paper examined VHIE's effect on allergy documentation. Review of all inbound VHIE transactions in FY14 showed that VHIE use was associated with a nearly eight-fold increase in allergy documentation rate. Preliminary manual document review further showed that VA and partners had shared knowledge of only 38% ofpatient allergies, while VA had exclusive knowledge of another 58% ofpatient allergies, and partners had exclusive knowledge of the last 5% of patient allergies. To our knowledge, this is the first study that examined the effect of HIE on allergy documentation.

  17. Food allergy: What do we learn from animal models?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knippels, L.M.J.; Wijk, F. van; Penninks, A.H.

    2004-01-01

    Purpose of review This review summarizes selected articles on animal models of food allergy published in 2003. The research areas that are covered include mechanistic studies, the search for new therapies, as well as screening models for hazard identification of potential allergens. Recent findings

  18. Parsing the peanut panic: the social life of a contested food allergy epidemic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waggoner, Miranda R

    2013-08-01

    As medical reports over the last decade indicate that food allergies among children are on the rise, peanut allergies in particular have become a topic of intense social debate. While peanut allergies are potentially fatal, they affect very few children at the population level. Yet, peanut allergies are characterized in medical and popular literature as a rising "epidemic," and myriad and broad-based social responses have emerged to address peanut allergy risk in public spaces. This analysis compares medical literature to other textual sources, including media reports, legislation, and advocacy between 1980 and 2010 in order to examine how peanut allergies transformed from a rare medical malady into a contemporary public health problem. I argue that the peanut allergy epidemic was co-constructed through interactions between experts, publics, biomedical categories, and institutions, while social reactions to the putative epidemic expanded the sphere of surveillance and awareness of peanut allergy risk. The characterization of the peanut allergy problem as an epidemic was shaped by mobility across social sites, with both discursive and material effects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Online version of the food allergy quality of life questionnaire-adult form : validity, feasibility and cross-cultural comparison

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goossens, N. J.; Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; Duiverman, E. J.; Weiss, C. C.; Furlong, T. J.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    P>Background Food-allergic reactions occur in 3-4% of the adult population in Western countries. It has been shown that food allergy may impair health-related quality of life (HRQL). Food allergy quality of life questionnaires (FAQLQs) have been developed and validated, including an adult form

  20. Maternal exposure to GOS/inulin mixture prevents food allergies and promotes tolerance in offspring in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchaud, G; Castan, L; Chesné, J; Braza, F; Aubert, P; Neunlist, M; Magnan, A; Bodinier, M

    2016-01-01

    Food allergies affect 4-8% of children and are constantly on the rise, thus making allergies a timely issue. Most importantly, prevention strategies are nonexistent, and current therapeutic strategies have limited efficacy and need to be improved. One alternative to prevent or reduce allergies, particularly during infancy, could consist of modulating maternal immunity and microbiota using nondigestible food ingredients, such as prebiotics. For this purpose, we studied the preventive effects of prebiotics in Balb/c mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding on food allergy development in offspring mice. After weaning, the offspring from mothers that were exposed to GOS/inulin mixture or fed a control diet were intraperitoneally sensitized to wheat proteins to induce a systemic allergic response and orally exposed to the same allergen. Immunological, physiological, and microbial parameters were analyzed. GOS/inulin mixture diet modified the microbiota of mothers and their offspring. Offspring from mothers that received GOS/inulin prebiotics were protected against food allergies and displayed lower clinical scores, specifically of IgE and histamine levels, compared to offspring from mothers fed a control diet. Moreover, GOS/inulin supplementation for the mother resulted in stronger intestinal permeability in the offspring. Enhancement of the regulatory response to allergic inflammation and changes in the Th2/Th1 balance toward a dampened Th2 response were observed in mice from GOS/inulin mixture-exposed mothers. The treatment of pregnant and lactating mice with nondigestible GOS/inulin prebiotics promotes a long-term protective effect against food allergies in the offspring. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Activated leucocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166) regulates T cell responses in a murine model of food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Y S; Kim, M N; Lee, K E; Hong, J Y; Oh, M S; Kim, S Y; Kim, K W; Sohn, M H

    2018-05-01

    Food allergy is a major public health problem. Studies have shown that long-term interactions between activated leucocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166) on the surface of antigen-presenting cells, and CD6, a co-stimulatory molecule, influence immune responses. However, there are currently no studies on the functions of ALCAM in food allergy. Therefore, we aimed to identify the functions of ALCAM in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy using ALCAM-deficient mice. Wild-type (WT) and ALCAM-deficient (ALCAM -/- ) mice were sensitized intraperitoneally and with orally fed OVA. The mice were killed, and parameters related to food allergy and T helper type 2 (Th2) immune responses were analysed. ALCAM serum levels increased and mRNA expression decreased in OVA-challenged WT mice. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels, Th2 cytokine mRNA and histological injuries were higher in OVA-challenged WT mice than in control mice, and these were attenuated in ALCAM -/- mice. T cell proliferation of total cells, CD3 + CD4 + T cells and activated T cells in immune tissues were diminished in OVA-challenged ALCAM -/- mice. Proliferation of co-cultured T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) was decreased by the anti-CD6 antibody. In addition, WT mice sensitized by adoptive transfer of OVA-pulsed ALCAM -/- BM-derived DCs showed reduced immune responses. Lastly, serum ALCAM levels were higher in children with food allergy than in control subjects. In this study, serum levels of ALCAM were elevated in food allergy-induced WT mice and children with food allergy. Moreover, immune responses and T cell activation were attenuated in OVA-challenged ALCAM -/- mice. These results indicate that ALCAM regulates food allergy by affecting T cell activation. © 2018 British Society for Immunology.

  2. Quality of Life, Stress, and Mental Health in Parents of Children with Parentally Diagnosed Food Allergy Compared to Medically Diagnosed and Healthy Controls

    OpenAIRE

    Birdi, Gurkiran; Cooke, Richard; Knibb, Rebecca

    2016-01-01

    Background. Food allergy is related to poorer quality of life (QoL) and mental health of caregivers. Many parents diagnose food allergy in their child without seeking medical care and there is limited research on this group. This study investigated parental QoL and mental health in parents of children with parent-diagnosed food allergy (PA), medically diagnosed food allergy (MA), and a control group with no allergy (NA). Methods. One hundred and fifty parents from a general population complet...

  3. Proceedings of the 2015 WAO Symposium on Food Allergy and the Microbiome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raúl Lázaro Castro Almarales

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Table of contents A1 Characterization of the immunoallergic profile towards the proteins of the wheat flour in Cuban population Raúl Lázaro Castro Almarales, Mary Carmen Reyes Zamora, Beatriz Tamargo, Damaris Torralba Averoff, Raysa Cruz, Yunia Oliva Diaz, Mirta Alvarez Castello, Alexander Ciria, Alexis Labrada, Maytee Mateo A2 Are peanuts causing food allergy in Cuba? Maytee Mateo, Damaris Torralba Averoff, Raysa Cruz, Yunia Oliva Diaz, Mirta Alvarez Castello, Alexander Ciria, Mary Carmen Reyes Zamora, Beatriz Tamargo, Alexis Labrada A3 Prick test and immunoallergic profile to soy allergens in Cuban population Omar Herrera, Maytee Mateo, Raysa Cruz, Mirta Alvarez Castello, Alexander Ciria, Raúl Lázaro Castro Almarales, Mary Carmen Reyes Zamora, Alexis Labrada A4 Skin sensitization and immunoallergic profile to hen's egg in Cuban population José Severino Rodríguez Canosa, Raysa Cruz, Maytee Mateo, Mirta Alvarez Castello, Alexander Ciria, Raúl Lázaro Castro Almarales, Mary Carmen Reyes Zamora, Alexis Labrada A5 Sensitization to three domestic mites in patients with adverse food events to shellfish Mirta Alvarez Castello, Raúl Lázaro Castro Almarales, Alexis Labrada, Biocen A6 Diagnostic efficacy by skin prick test with allergenic extracts of legumes in Cuban patients Yamilet Ibizate Novales, Ilonka Estruch Fajardo, Alexis Labrada, Maytee Mateo, Armando Ginard A7 Baked egg goods without wheat flour carry an increased risk of reaction Bruce Lanser, Anna Faino, Erwin Gelfand, Pia Hauk A8 Prevalence, incidence and associated risk factors of adverse reaction to food in Cuban infants - a population-based prospective study Silvia Venero Fernández, Julia Urbina, Mirta Alvarez Castello, Raúl Lázaro Castro Almarales, Ramón Suárez Medina, Hermes Fundora Hernández, John Britton, Andrew William Fogarty A9 Microbiome in ice machines and assessing the plasma nanotechnology in breaking the biofilm and improving air quality Nabarun Ghosh, Clinton

  4. Online version of the food allergy quality of life questionnaire-adult form: validity, feasibility and cross-cultural comparison

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goossens, N. J.; Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; Vlieg-Boerstra, B. J.; Duiverman, E. J.; Weiss, C. C.; Furlong, T. J.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    2011-01-01

    Food-allergic reactions occur in 3-4% of the adult population in Western countries. It has been shown that food allergy may impair health-related quality of life (HRQL). Food allergy quality of life questionnaires (FAQLQs) have been developed and validated, including an adult form (FAQLQ-AF). These

  5. Developmental pathways in food allergy: a new theoretical framework.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    DunnGalvin, A

    2009-04-01

    To date, there is no model of psychosocial development based on empirical food allergy (FA) research. This limits the ability of clinicians, researchers and policy-makers to predict and evaluate the real impact of FA on the child, with implications for prevention, treatment, intervention and health policy.

  6. The Relationship Between the Status of Unnecessary Accommodations Being Made to Unconfirmed Food Allergy Students and the Presence or Absence of a Doctor’s Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yurika Ganaha

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study investigated the current state of unnecessary children food allergy accommodation and the medical efforts to confirm the existence of food allergies in school lunch service kitchens in Okinawa, Japan, including kitchens accommodating food allergy students by requiring medical documentation at the start and during provisions being made (Double Diagnosis, requiring medical documentation at the start only (Single Diagnosis, and with no medical documentation (Non-Diagnosis. Unnecessary accommodations are being made to unconfirmed food allergy students, wherein the more medical consultation was required, the lower the food allergy incident rate was and the more food allergens were diagnosed (Non-Diagnosis > Single Diagnosis > Double Diagnosis. This study suggests the possibility that unconfirmed food allergy students may be receiving unnecessary food allergy accommodations per school lunches, and the number of unnecessary food allergy provisions being made could be reduced by requiring medical documentation at the start and during these provisions.

  7. Immunological and radioimmunological studies in food allergy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nikolov, N.; Shaternikov, V.; Todorov, D.; Mazo, V.; Marokko, I.; Stoinov, S.; Dontchev, N.; Borov, B.; Drumtcheva, M.; Michailova, L.; Gmoshinsky, I.; Akademiya Meditsinskikh Nauk SSSR, Moscow)

    1987-01-01

    Experiments in order to induce food allergy were carried out in guinea pigs. The sensitization with egg albumin, pasteurized cow milk and bovine serum albumin provoked anaphylactic shock. The passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, serum antibodies, liver cytochrome P-450 concentration and the anaphylactic shock were determined. Some correlation between the mortality, anaphylactic antibodies and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase system was established. The morphology of the jejunal mucosa, the activities of 5 disaccharidases, the number of immunoglobulin secreting cells (Ig SC) and the mastocytes were investigated in 35 patients with food allergy. Normal mucosa was found in 28 cases as well as a significant decrease of the lactase, sucrase and trehalase activities. An increase of IgM and IgG secreting cells and of mastocytes, different electron microscopic changes in the enterocytes (an increased number of lysosomes, appearance of vesicles in cytoplasma, shortening, enlargement and uneven distribution of microvilli) as well as symptoms of functional activity in the plasmocytes and some others were also revealed. The experimental model obtained is similar to that one in humans according to the enteral way of sensitization the high selectivity of the allergic reaction which is of reagin type as the immunoglobulin changes are involved. (author)

  8. Quality of life in childhood, adolescence and adult food allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stensgaard, A; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Nielsen, D

    2017-01-01

    completed by 73 children, 49 adolescents and 29 adults with peanut, hazelnut or egg allergy. Parents (197 mothers, 120 fathers) assessed their child's HRQL using the FAQLQ-Parent form. Clinical data and threshold values were obtained from a hospital database. Significant factors for HRQL were investigated...... using univariate and multivariate regression. RESULTS: Female patients reported greater impact of food allergy on HRQL than males did. Egg and hazelnut thresholds did not affect HRQL, but lower peanut threshold was associated with worse HRQL. Both parents scored their child's HRQL better than the child...

  9. Polymorphisms affecting vitamin D-binding protein modify the relationship between serum vitamin D (25[OH]D3) and food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koplin, Jennifer J; Suaini, Noor H A; Vuillermin, Peter; Ellis, Justine A; Panjari, Mary; Ponsonby, Anne-Louise; Peters, Rachel L; Matheson, Melanie C; Martino, David; Dang, Thanh; Osborne, Nicholas J; Martin, Pamela; Lowe, Adrian; Gurrin, Lyle C; Tang, Mimi L K; Wake, Melissa; Dwyer, Terry; Hopper, John; Dharmage, Shyamali C; Allen, Katrina J

    2016-02-01

    There is evolving evidence that vitamin D insufficiency may contribute to food allergy, but findings vary between populations. Lower vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) levels increase the biological availability of serum vitamin D. Genetic polymorphisms explain almost 80% of the variation in binding protein levels. We sought to investigate whether polymorphisms that lower the DBP could compensate for adverse effects of low serum vitamin D on food allergy risk. From a population-based cohort study (n = 5276) we investigated the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25[OH]D3) levels and food allergy at age 1 year (338 challenge-proven food-allergic and 269 control participants) and age 2 years (55 participants with persistent and 50 participants with resolved food allergy). 25(OH)D3 levels were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and adjusted for season of blood draw. Analyses were stratified by genotype at rs7041 as a proxy marker of DBP levels (low, the GT/TT genotype; high, the GG genotype). Low serum 25(OH)D3 level (≤50 nM/L) at age 1 years was associated with food allergy, particularly among infants with the GG genotype (odds ratio [OR], 6.0; 95% CI, 0.9-38.9) but not in those with GT/TT genotypes (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.2-2.0; P interaction = .014). Maternal antenatal vitamin D supplementation was associated with less food allergy, particularly in infants with the GT/TT genotype (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.03-0.41). Persistent vitamin D insufficiency increased the likelihood of persistent food allergy (OR, 12.6; 95% CI, 1.5-106.6), particularly in those with the GG genotype. Polymorphisms associated with lower DBP level attenuated the association between low serum 25(OH)D3 level and food allergy, consistent with greater vitamin D bioavailability in those with a lower DBP level. This increases the biological plausibility of a role for vitamin D in the development of food allergy. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma

  10. Allergies Galore! Managing Allergies Is More Than a Call to 911.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piper, Cassandra; Rebull, Helen

    2002-01-01

    Food allergies can kill a child, and camp offers many opportunities for things to go wrong. One camp with many allergic campers gathered information from parents on the extent of allergies and medications needed; educated staff about the seriousness of allergies, food preparation procedures, and snacks; and prepared an emergency plan. Family,…

  11. Allergy, living and learning

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chivato, T; Valovirta, E; Dahl, R

    2012-01-01

    Allergy Living and Learning (ALL) is a European initiative designed to increase knowledge and understanding of people living with allergies in order to improve respiratory allergy care.......Allergy Living and Learning (ALL) is a European initiative designed to increase knowledge and understanding of people living with allergies in order to improve respiratory allergy care....

  12. Health sector costs of self-reported food allergy in Europe: a patient-based cost of illness study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mugford, M.; Fox, M.; Voordouw, J.; Cornelisse-Vermaat, J.R.; Antonides, G.; Hoz Caballer, de la B.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Food allergy is a recognized health problem, but little has been reported on its cost for health services. The EuroPrevall project was a European study investigating the patterns, prevalence and socio-economic cost of food allergy. Aims: To investigate the health service cost for

  13. Health sector costs of self-reported food allergy in Europe : A patient-based cost of illness study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fox, Margaret; Mugford, Miranda; Voordouw, Jantine; Cornelisse-Vermaat, Judith; Antonides, Gerrit; de la Hoz Caballer, Belen; Cerecedo, Inma; Zamora, Javier; Rokicka, Ewa; Jewczak, Maciej; Clark, Allan B; Kowalski, Marek L; Papadopoulos, Nikos; Knulst, Anna C; Seneviratne, Suranjith; Belohlavkova, Simona; Asero, Roberto; de Blay, Frederic; Purohit, Ashok; Clausen, Michael; Flokstra de Blok, Bertine; Dubois, Anthony E; Fernandez-Rivas, Montserrat; Burney, Peter; Frewer, Lynn J; Mills, Clare E N

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Food allergy is a recognized health problem, but little has been reported on its cost for health services. The EuroPrevall project was a European study investigating the patterns, prevalence and socio-economic cost of food allergy. Aims: To investigate the health service cost for

  14. Food Allergy - Basic Mechanisms and Applications to Identifying Risks Associated with Plant Incorporated Pesticides and Other Genetically Modified Crops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Food allergy is a relatively new concern for toxicologists as a result of the incorporation of novel proteins into food crops in order to promote resistance to pests and other stresses, improve nutrition, or otherwise modify the phenotype. Food allergy can manifest as inflammatio...

  15. A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON LIFESTYLE GUIDANCE AND USE OF MANAGEMENT FORMS FOR FOOD ALLERGY IN LICENSED NURSERY SCHOOLS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanagida, Noriyuki; Sato, Sakura; Murata, Junko; Seto, Akiko; Nishisako, Shin; Ebisawa, Motohiro

    2016-01-01

    There have been no reports on the use of "foods allergy disease lifestyle guidance and management forms at day care centers" (life management guidance forms) for understanding details of pupils with food allergies. The contents of lifestyle management guidance forms obtained in Sagamihara city from licensed nurseries were investigated prospectively. We compared and analyzed for the use of life management guidance forms initially in 2013 and in the fiscal year of 2014 in Sagamihara city licensed nurseries. In all, in 2013 and 2014, 9,567 and 10,069 pupils were included in licensed nurseries, and 426 (4.5%) and 447 (4.4%) pupils had food allergies, 61 (0.6%) and 61 (0.6%) had anaphylaxis, respectively.The causative foods in 2013 and 2014, respectively, included unheated hen's egg in 71.6% and 69.6%; heated hen's egg in 54.2% and 54.8%; milk in 23.0% and 23.3%; peanuts in 17.8% and 17.0%; buckwheat in 7.3% and 8.5%; and wheat in 6.3% and 8.3%. There are no significant differences in the distribution of causative foods between 2013 and 2014.Immediate-type food allergy was significantly more frequent in 2014 than in 2013 (73.0% and 78.8%, respectively; p=0.040). Using a life management guidance form will make it easier to manage food allergies in children.

  16. Hydrolyzed whey protein prevents the development of food allergy to β-lactoglobulin in sensitized mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes-Santos, Ana Cristina; Fonseca, Roberta Cristelli; Lemos, Luisa; Reis, Daniela Silva; Moreira, Thaís Garcias; Souza, Adna Luciana; Silva, Mauro Ramalho; Silvestre, Marialice Pinto Coelho; Cara, Denise Carmona; Faria, Ana Maria Caetano

    2015-01-01

    Food allergy is an adverse immune response to dietary proteins. Hydrolysates are frequently used for children with milk allergy. However, hydrolysates effects afterwards are poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunological consequences of hydrolyzed whey protein in allergic mice. For that, we developed a novel model of food allergy in BALB/c mice sensitized with alum-adsorbed β-lactoglobulin. These mice were orally challenged with either whey protein or whey hydrolysate. Whey-challenged mice had elevated levels of specific IgE and lost weight. They also presented gut inflammation, enhanced levels of SIgA and IL-5 as well as decreased production of IL-4 and IL-10 in the intestinal mucosa. Conversely, mice challenged with hydrolyzate maintained normal levels of IgE, IL-4 and IL-5 and showed no sign of gut inflammation probably due to increased IL-12 production in the gut. Thus, consumption of hydrolysate prevented the development of clinical signs of food allergy in mice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Test-retest reliability of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaires (FAQLQ) for children, adolescents and adults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Velde, Jantina L.; Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; Vlieg - Boerstra, Berber J.; Oude Elberink, Joanne N. G.; Schouten, Jan P.; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Hourihane, Jonathan O'B; Duiverman, Eric J.; Dubois, Anthony E. J.

    The self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form (FAQLQ-CF), -Teenager Form (FAQLQ-TF) and -Adult Form (FAQLQ-AF) were recently developed within EuroPrevall, a multi-centred study of food allergy in Europe. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest

  18. Test-retest reliability of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaires (FAQLQ) for children, adolescents and adults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Velde, Jantina L.; Flokstra-de Blok, Bertine M. J.; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J.; Oude Elberink, Joanne N. G.; Schouten, Jan P.; DunnGalvin, Audrey; Hourihane, Jonathan O.'B.; Duiverman, Eric J.; Dubois, Anthony E. J.

    2009-01-01

    The self-administered Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form (FAQLQ-CF), -Teenager Form (FAQLQ-TF) and -Adult Form (FAQLQ-AF) were recently developed within EuroPrevall, a multi-centred study of food allergy in Europe. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest

  19. A comparison study of anti food allergy of plane tree leaves extract with the chemical drug therapy in affected dogs

    OpenAIRE

    Torkan, Saam; Mohajeri, Nima; Khamesipour, Faham

    2016-01-01

    Food allergy includes an overreaction of the immune system to certain foods or substances that trigger the immune system become confused. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral administration of plantain leaf extract on immunity against food allergies in dogs. This study performed on 12 dogs and the dogs were divided into 3 groups. In 3 groups, 2 times a day for 5 days 10 grams of turmeric tablet was administered to food allergies occur in all catego...

  20. Statistical Considerations of Food Allergy Prevention Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahnson, Henry T; du Toit, George; Lack, Gideon

    Clinical studies to prevent the development of food allergy have recently helped reshape public policy recommendations on the early introduction of allergenic foods. These trials are also prompting new research, and it is therefore important to address the unique design and analysis challenges of prevention trials. We highlight statistical concepts and give recommendations that clinical researchers may wish to adopt when designing future study protocols and analysis plans for prevention studies. Topics include selecting a study sample, addressing internal and external validity, improving statistical power, choosing alpha and beta, analysis innovations to address dilution effects, and analysis methods to deal with poor compliance, dropout, and missing data. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biermé, Priscille; Nowak-Wegrzyn, Anna; Caubet, Jean-Christoph

    2017-12-01

    We focus on recent advances regarding the epidemiology, physiopathology, diagnosis and managements of non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies (non-IgE-GI-FAs), particularly food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES). The first international FPIES diagnostic and management guidelines have been recently published. Although FPIES largely remains a diagnosis of exclusion, it may be more prevalent than previously thought. Ondansetron has emerged as a major tool for the treatment of FPIES acute reactions. Recent data also suggest an important role for innate immune cells in FPIES pathogenesis. Despite major advances in the diagnosis and management of non-IgE-GI-FAs, particularly FPIES, the lack of specific diagnostic tests and biomarkers to guide clinical management remains challenging.

  2. Clinical and Diagnostic Features of Bronchial Asthma in Children on the Background of Latent Food Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.M. Levytskyi

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Based on clinical and paraclinical examination of 112 children with bronchial asthma, there were studied the features of its course against the background of food allergy. It was found that only a set of clinical and paraclinical signs is the most important for the diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children on the background of latent food allergy.

  3. Lifelong memory responses perpetuate humoral TH2 immunity and anaphylaxis in food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiménez-Saiz, Rodrigo; Chu, Derek K; Mandur, Talveer S; Walker, Tina D; Gordon, Melissa E; Chaudhary, Roopali; Koenig, Joshua; Saliba, Sarah; Galipeau, Heather J; Utley, Adam; King, Irah L; Lee, Kelvin; Ettinger, Rachel; Waserman, Susan; Kolbeck, Roland; Jordana, Manel

    2017-12-01

    A number of food allergies (eg, fish, shellfish, and nuts) are lifelong, without any disease-transforming therapies, and unclear in their underlying immunology. Clinical manifestations of food allergy are largely mediated by IgE. Although persistent IgE titers have been attributed conventionally to long-lived IgE + plasma cells (PCs), this has not been directly and comprehensively tested. We sought to evaluate mechanisms underlying persistent IgE and allergic responses to food allergens. We used a model of peanut allergy and anaphylaxis, various knockout mice, adoptive transfer experiments, and in vitro assays to identify mechanisms underlying persistent IgE humoral immunity over almost the entire lifespan of the mouse (18-20 months). Contrary to conventional paradigms, our data show that clinically relevant lifelong IgE titers are not sustained by long-lived IgE + PCs. Instead, lifelong reactivity is conferred by allergen-specific long-lived memory B cells that replenish the IgE + PC compartment. B-cell reactivation requires allergen re-exposure and IL-4 production by CD4 T cells. We define the half-lives of antigen-specific germinal centers (23.3 days), IgE + and IgG 1 + PCs (60 and 234.4 days, respectively), and clinically relevant cell-bound IgE (67.3 days). These findings can explain lifelong food allergies observed in human subjects as the consequence of allergen exposures that recurrently activate memory B cells and identify these as a therapeutic target with disease-transforming potential. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Emergency Department Visits for Food Allergy in Taiwan: A Retrospective Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan-Fai Chan

    2014-08-01

    Conclusion: Seafood, fish, and fruits are common foods which cause acute allergic reactions in Taiwan. Although most food allergies are mild, anaphylactic shock still presents in about 1% of patients. Only a minority of patients with anaphylaxis receive epinephrine. As anaphylaxis may be life-threatening, prompt education and use of an epinephrine auto-injector deserves further concern.

  5. An eHealth Approach to Reporting Allergic Reactions to Food and Closing the Knowledge Gap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munro, Christopher; Semic-Jusufagic, Aida; Pyrz, Katarzyna; Couch, Philip; Dunn-Galvin, Audrey; Peek, Niels; Themis, Marina; Mills, Clare; Buchan, Iain; Hourihane, Jonathan; Simpson, Angela

    2015-01-01

    There is an important knowledge gap in food allergy management in understanding the factors that determine allergic reactions to food, in gathering objective reports of reactions in real time, and in accessing patients' reaction-histories during consultations. We investigate how eHealth methods can close this knowledge gap. We report experiences with an online tool for reporting allergic reactions that we have developed as a web application. This application has been successfully validated by participants from Ireland and the UK, and is currently being used in a pilot where participants report allergic reactions in near-real time.

  6. Sensitization to Food Additives in Patients with Allergy: A Study Based on Skin Test and Open Oral Challenge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moghtaderi, Mozhgan; Hejrati, Zinatosadat; Dehghani, Zahra; Dehghani, Faranak; Kolahi, Niloofar

    2016-06-01

    There has been a great increase in the consumption of various food additives in recent years. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of sensitization to food additives by using skin prick test in patients with allergy and to determine the concordance rate between positive skin tests and oral challenge in hypersensitivity to additives. This cross-sectional study included 125 (female 71, male 54) patients aged 2-76 years with allergy and 100 healthy individuals. Skin tests were performed in both patient and control groups with 25 fresh food additives. Among patients with allergy, 22.4% showed positive skin test at least to one of the applied materials. Skin test was negative to all tested food additives in control group. Oral food challenge was done in 28 patients with positive skin test, in whom 9 patients showed reaction to culprit (Concordance rate=32.1%). The present study suggested that about one-third of allergic patients with positive reaction to food additives showed positive oral challenge; it may be considered the potential utility of skin test to identify the role of food additives in patients with allergy.

  7. A comparison study of anti food allergy of plane tree leaves extract with the chemical drug therapy in affected dogs

    OpenAIRE

    Torkan, Saam; Mohajeri, Nima; Khamesipour, Faham

    2015-01-01

    Food allergy includes an overreaction of the immune system to certain foods or substances that trigger the immune system become confused. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral administration of plantain leaf extract on immunity against food allergies in dogs. This study performed on 12 dogs and the dogs were divided into 3 groups. In 3 groups, 2 times a day for 5 days 10Grmy turmeric tablet was administered to food allergies occur in all categories. To first group twice...

  8. Communication needs and food allergy: An analysis of stakeholder views

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Miles, Susan; Crevel, Rene; Chryssochoidis, George

    2006-01-01

    that required by other stakeholders (for example, consumers). The results therefore suggest that targeted information strategies may be the most resource-efficient way to communicate effectively to different stakeholders about food allergy. However, those information channels which are best suited to specific...

  9. The serum bank of EuroPrevall - the prevalence, cost and basis of food allergy across Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieths, Stefan; Reese, Gerald; Ballmer-Weber, Barbara K; Beyer, Kerstin; Burney, Peter; Fernandez-Rivas, Montserrat; Summers, Collin; Ree, Ronald van; Mills, Clare

    2008-10-01

    EuroPrevall is an EU-funded multidisciplinary project including 62 institutions from 22 countries. EuroPrevall studies the prevalence and distribution of food allergies in infants, children, adolescents, and adults in Europe, threshold doses for allergenic foods, the role of the environment in food allergy, the socioeconomic impact of food allergy, and novel diagnostic tools for food allergies. The EuroPrevall serum bank (EPASB), containing samples from approximately 70,000 subjects, is a major tool to achieve these goals. EPASB is coordinated by the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany. Local sera collections are administered at the University of Amsterdam (NL), the University Hospital of Manchester (UK), Charité Hospital (DE) and the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut. The EPASB coordinator and managing partners distribute samples for experimental work and regulate access. The overall aim is to provide sera to fulfil EuroPrevall research goals. The EPASB coordinator and managing partners suggest appropriate sera for addressing specific scientific and diagnostic questions. The serum bank will be maintained after termination of the project, but subsequent investigations must be in accordance with the original research goals of EuroPrevall. Thus, the contributors of the sera retain control over their future use. This rule prevents investigation of questions outside the scope of EuroPrevall, e.g. the allergenicity of genetically-modified foods.

  10. Allergy tests do not predict food triggers in adult patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis. A comprehensive prospective study using five modalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philpott, H; Nandurkar, S; Royce, S G; Thien, F; Gibson, P R

    2016-08-01

    The use of allergy tests to guide dietary treatment for eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is controversial and data are limited. Aeroallergen sensitisation patterns and food triggers have been defined in Northern Hemisphere cohorts only. To determine if allergy tests that are routinely available can predict food triggers in adult patients with EoE. To define the food triggers and aeroallergen sensitisation patterns in a novel Southern Hemisphere (Australian) cohort of patients. Consecutive patients with EoE who elected to undergo dietary therapy were prospectively assessed, demographic details and atopic characteristics recorded, and allergy tests, comprising skin-prick and skin-patch tests, serum allergen-specific IgE, basophil activation test and serum food-specific IgG, were performed. Patients underwent a six-food elimination diet with a structured algorithm that included endoscopic and histological examination of the oesophagus a minimum of 2 weeks after each challenge. Response was defined as Foods defined as triggers were considered as gold standard and were compared with those identified by allergy testing. No allergy test could accurately predict actual food triggers. Concordance among skin-prick and serum allergen-specific IgE was high for aeroallergens only. Among seasonal aeroallergens, rye-grass sensitisation was predominant. Food triggers were commonly wheat, milk and egg, alone or in combination. None of the currently-available allergy tests predicts food triggers for EoE. Exclusion-rechallenge methodology with oesophageal histological assessment remains the only effective investigation. The same food triggers were identified in this southern hemisphere cohort as previously described. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. [Food allergies in early childhood. 2. Food choices].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vigi, V; Fanaro, S

    2000-01-01

    The incidence of allergic diseases appears to be on the increase in industrialized societies. In infants at high risk for atopic diseases prevention in early life seems to be a high priority at this time. However, many questions remain to be answered because, in the absence of breast feeding which should be encouraged in all infants, substitute formula employed for prevention should guarantee the following requisites: optimal nutrition, reduced allergenicity or better hypoallergenicity, good palatability and low cost. Current concepts in the field of prophylaxis and diet therapy of food allergy are reviewed. Special emphasis is given to the biochemical, nutritional and antigenic properties of the different formulas employed in the management of these conditions.

  12. The skin barrier function gene SPINK5 is associated with challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy in infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashley, S E; Tan, H-T T; Vuillermin, P; Dharmage, S C; Tang, M L K; Koplin, J; Gurrin, L C; Lowe, A; Lodge, C; Ponsonby, A-L; Molloy, J; Martin, P; Matheson, M C; Saffery, R; Allen, K J; Ellis, J A; Martino, D

    2017-09-01

    A defective skin barrier is hypothesized to be an important route of sensitization to dietary antigens and may lead to food allergy in some children. Missense mutations in the serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 5 (SPINK5) skin barrier gene have previously been associated with allergic conditions. To determine whether genetic variants in and around SPINK5 are associated with IgE-mediated food allergy. We genotyped 71 "tag" single nucleotide polymorphisms (tag-SNPs) within a region spanning ~263 kb including SPINK5 (~61 kb) in n=722 (n=367 food-allergic, n=199 food-sensitized-tolerant and n=156 non-food-allergic controls) 12-month-old infants (discovery sample) phenotyped for food allergy with the gold standard oral food challenge. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measures were collected at 12 months from a subset (n=150) of these individuals. SNPs were tested for association with food allergy using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test adjusting for ancestry strata. Association analyses were replicated in an independent sample group derived from four paediatric cohorts, total n=533 (n=203 food-allergic, n=330 non-food-allergic), mean age 2.5 years, with food allergy defined by either clinical history of reactivity, 95% positive predictive value (PPV) or challenge, corrected for ancestry by principal components. SPINK5 variant rs9325071 (A⟶G) was associated with challenge-proven food allergy in the discovery sample (P=.001, OR=2.95, CI=1.49-5.83). This association was further supported by replication (P=.007, OR=1.58, CI=1.13-2.20) and by meta-analysis (P=.0004, OR=1.65). Variant rs9325071 is associated with decreased SPINK5 gene expression in the skin in publicly available genotype-tissue expression data, and we generated preliminary evidence for association of this SNP with elevated TEWL also. We report, for the first time, association between SPINK5 variant rs9325071 and challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A

  13. INITIAL ALLERGY PREVENTION IN CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.N. Pampura

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Allergy prevention is an urgent pediatric issue. Food allergy spread among infants amounts to 6–8%. This review highlights the modern viewpoints on diet prevention of this pathology among children, including by means of the hypoallergic nutritional formulas.Key words: food allergy, prevention, allergies, prebiotics, children.

  14. The EuroPrevall surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children and adults: background and study methodology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kummeling, I.; Mills, E. N. C.; Clausen, M.; Dubakiene, R.; Pérez, C. Farnãndez; Fernández-Rivas, M.; Knulst, A. C.; Kowalski, M. L.; Lidholm, J.; Le, T.-M.; Metzler, C.; Mustakov, T.; Popov, T.; Potts, J.; van Ree, R.; Sakellariou, A.; Töndury, B.; Tzannis, K.; Burney, P.

    2009-01-01

    Background: The epidemiological surveys in children and adults of the EU-funded multidisciplinary Integrated Project EuroPrevall, launched in June 2005, were designed to estimate the currently unknown prevalence of food allergy and exposure to known or suspected risk factors for food allergy across

  15. Validation of the Spanish Version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Adult Form (S-FAQLQ-AF)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Antolin-Amerigo, D.; Cerecedo Carballo, [Unknown; Muriel, A.; Fernandez-Rivas, M.; Dieguez Pastor, M.; Flokstra-de Blok, B.; Dubois, A.; De la Hoz Caballer, B.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Specific food allergy quality of life questionnaires have been developed within the context of the EuroPrevall project. We aimed to adapt and validate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Adult Form (FAQLQ-AF) in the Spanish language. Methods: The original English

  16. Food Consumption and Prevalence of Asthma & Allergies Symptoms in Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Karimi

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The prevalence of asthma and allergy has increased significantly over the last 30 years. Genetic factors cannot explain this prevalence and a number of studies have been performed to determine the Environmental factors especially dietary factors which are effective in the incidence of these diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the food consumption and the subsequent development of asthma and other allergic disorder symptoms in 2003 of children in yazd. Methods: We performed a Descriptive cross-sectional study of selected children in primary and secondary schools in Yazd. Standardized questionnaire(ISAAC that was developed based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood were distributed to parents of 2768 children aged 6-7 years and 3201 children aged 13-14 years which randomly selected. The data was analyzed by Epi6.04 and SPSS softwares. Results: The prevalence of asthma, Allergic Rhinitis and Eczema symptoms in children 6-7 years old was 10.9%, 15.5% and 7.3% and in children 13-14 years old was 20.3 %, 42.7% and 14.8% respectively. High intake of butter-fat, chocolate, sweet and Sausage were associated with an increased risk of allergic rhinitis in children 6-7 years old. High intake of chocolate, Chips, egg were associated with an increased risk of wheeze and in children 13-14 years old. Conclusion: Dietary factors are associated with asthma and allergies symptoms. Fast foods, chocolates, junk foods & sausage may increase wheezing and allergic rhinitis & eczema symptoms in childhood

  17. Influence of health literacy and trust in online information on food allergy quality of life and self-efficacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ditzler, Nicholas; Greenhawt, Matthew

    2016-09-01

    Health literacy among caregivers of food allergic individuals (FAIs) is poorly described, as are the information sources sought regarding food allergy. To assess the association among health literacy, trust in online sources of information, and food allergy quality of life (QoL) and self-efficacy. An online survey was administered to caregivers of FAIs assessing health literacy (Newest Vital Sign [NVS] and the eHeals Internet health literacy index), trust in online information (Hargittai Internet credibility index and Annenberg National Health Communication Survey [ANHCS]), QoL (Food Allergy Quality of Life Parental Burden), and self-efficacy (Food Allergy Self-Efficacy Questionnaire [FASEQ]). Among 1562 respondents, 94.6% (NVS) and 61.1% (eHeals) had good health literacy, and 58% had high levels of trust in online information (both indexes). The NVS correlated poorly with the eHeals and Hargittai indexes. Hargittai and eHeals scores were moderately correlated (r = 0.37, P information (both indexes), worsening FASEQ score, blog readership, advocacy group membership, caring for multiple FAIs, and having milk or egg allergy were associated with worse FAQL-PB scores. In this sample, health literacy and trust in online information sources were high, with high trust in online information sources negatively associated with QoL. Advocacy group membership had an independent negative association with QoL. Copyright © 2016 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Immune-mediated effects upon oral challenge of ovalbumin-sensitized Brown Norway rats: Further characterization of a rat food allergy model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knippels, L.M.J.; Penninks, A.H.; Smit, J.J.; Houben, G.F.

    1999-01-01

    Although several in vivo antigenicity assays using parenteral immunization are operational, no full validated enteral models are available to study food allergy and allergenicity of food proteins. To further validate a developed enteral Brown Norway (BN) rat food allergy model, systemic and local

  19. Differential skin test reactivity to pollens in pollen food allergy syndrome versus allergic rhinitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ta, Von; Scott, David R; Chin, William K; Wineinger, Nathan E; Kelso, John M; White, Andrew A

    2015-01-01

    Pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS), also called oral allergy syndrome, is a form of food allergy in which uncooked foods cause allergic symptoms generally limited to the oral mucosa. It occurs in a subset of patients with pollen allergy, although not all patients have prominent rhinitis symptoms. PFAS is related to antigenic similarity between the pollen and food allergen. The size of skin test reactions in a group of subjects with pollen sensitivity with PFAS was compared with a group of subjects who were pollen sensitive and without PFAS. Self-reported rhinitis symptoms between the two groups were compared to identify if symptom severity differed. Twenty subjects with PFAS and 20 subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis without PFAS were enrolled in the study. All the subjects underwent standard skin-prick testing to a panel of common allergens, including select fresh fruits and vegetables. The subjects completed a Mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire as part of their clinical evaluation. The subjects with PFAS and those without PFAS were compared statistically. The subjects with PFAS had significantly larger-sized skin-prick test results specific to pollens (p PFAS reported milder nasal symptoms in relation to pollen skin test result size when compared with allergic rhinitis controls without PFAS. Our study outlined basic differences between two seemingly similar patient groups with a particularly striking discordance between skin test result sizes and rhinitis symptoms. This discordance should be explored further to increase mechanistic understanding of allergen cross-reactivity in PFAS.

  20. New approach for food allergy management using low-dose oral food challenges and low-dose oral immunotherapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanagida, Noriyuki; Okada, Yu; Sato, Sakura; Ebisawa, Motohiro

    2016-04-01

    A number of studies have suggested that a large subset of children (approximately 70%) who react to unheated milk or egg can tolerate extensively heated forms of these foods. A diet that includes baked milk or egg is well tolerated and appears to accelerate the development of regular milk or egg tolerance when compared with strict avoidance. However, the indications for an oral food challenge (OFC) using baked products are limited for patients with high specific IgE values or large skin prick test diameters. Oral immunotherapies (OITs) are becoming increasingly popular for the management of food allergies. However, the reported efficacy of OIT is not satisfactory, given the high frequency of symptoms and requirement for long-term therapy. With food allergies, removing the need to eliminate a food that could be consumed in low doses could significantly improve quality of life. This review discusses the importance of an OFC and OIT that use low doses of causative foods as the target volumes. Utilizing an OFC or OIT with a low dose as the target volume could be a novel approach for accelerating the tolerance to causative foods. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. What are the beliefs of pediatricians and dietitians regarding complementary food introduction to prevent allergy?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leo Sara

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The timing of complementary food introduction is controversial. Providing information on the timing of dietary introduction is crucial to the primary prevention of food allergy. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers dietary recommendations that were updated in 2008. Objective Identify the recommendations that general pediatricians and registered dietitians provide to parents and delineate any differences in counselling. Methods A 9-item survey was distributed to pediatricians and dietitians online and by mail. Information on practitioner type, gender, length of practice and specific recommendations regarding complementary food introduction and exposure was collected. Results 181 surveys were returned with a 54% response rate from pediatricians. It was not possible to calculate a meaningful dietitian response rate due to overlapping email databases. 52.5% of all respondents were pediatricians and 45.9% were dietitians. The majority of pediatricians and dietitians advise mothers that peanut abstinence during pregnancy and lactation is unnecessary. Dietitians were more likely to counsel mothers to breastfeed their infants to prevent development of atopic dermatitis than pediatricians. Hydrolyzed formulas for infants at risk of developing allergy were the top choice of formula amongst both practitioners. For food allergy prevention, pediatricians were more likely to recommend delayed introduction of peanut and egg, while most dietitians recommended no delay in allergenic food introduction. Conclusions In the prophylaxis of food allergy, pediatricians are less aware than dietitians of the current recommendation that there is no benefit in delaying allergenic food introduction beyond 4 to 6 months. More dietitians than pediatricians believe that breastfeeding decreases the risk of atopic dermatitis. Practitioners may benefit from increased awareness of current guidelines.

  2. Pet Allergy Quiz

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Treatments ▸ Allergies ▸ Pet Allergy ▸ Pet Allergy Quiz Share | Pet Allergy Quiz More than half of U.S. households ... cat family. Yet, millions of people suffer from pet allergies. Take this quiz to test your knowledge ...

  3. Consecutive Food and Respiratory Allergies Amplify Systemic and Gut but Not Lung Outcomes in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchaud, Gregory; Gourbeyre, Paxcal; Bihouée, Tiphaine; Aubert, Phillippe; Lair, David; Cheminant, Marie-Aude; Denery-Papini, Sandra; Neunlist, Michel; Magnan, Antoine; Bodinier, Marie

    2015-07-22

    Epidemiological data suggest a link between food allergies and the subsequent development of asthma. Although this progression may result from the additional effects of exposure to multiple allergens, whether both allergies amplify each other's effects remains unknown. This study investigated whether oral exposure to food allergens influences the outcomes of subsequent respiratory exposure to an asthma-inducing allergen. Mice were sensitized and orally challenged with wheat (FA) and then exposed to house dust mite (HDM) extract (RA). Immunoglobulin (Ig), histamine, and cytokine levels were assayed by ELISA. Intestinal and lung physiology was assessed. Ig levels, histamine release, and cytokine secretion were higher after exposure to both allergens than after separate exposure to each. Intestinal permeability was higher, although airway hyper-responsiveness and lung inflammation remained unchanged. Exposure to food and respiratory allergens amplifies systemic and gut allergy-related immune responses without any additional effect on lung function and inflammation.

  4. An Analysis of “Natural” Food Litigation to Build a Sesame Allergy Consumer Class Action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaker, Dana

    In a world where food allergy is still an incurable disease, law and regulation stand as necessary mechanisms to provide food-allergic consumers with the information they need to protect their health. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 provided specific labeling requirements for the “Top Eight” allergens in the U.S.: milk, soy, gluten, egg, tree nut, peanut, fish, and Crustacean shellfish. Since then, sesame has become more prevalent as an allergen and remains just as dangerous, inducing anaphylactic shock in some sesame-allergic individuals. Yet sesame remains unregulated, despite advocates and congressional members arguing for its inclusion. This note entertains one solution to this problem by exploring the most strategic way to bring a sesame allergy class action against a private food company under California’s consumer protection statutes. Because this kind of class action does not have much, if any, precedent, this note analyzes the basic, preliminary issues that any litigant would have to navigate around to certify a class, including preemption, standing, and the claim itself, by focusing on how courts have examined these issues in the recent “natural” class action litigation. It also analyzes the legal, moral, and practical aspects of choosing a type of relief, as well as whom to include in the class. Finally, this note briefly considers how FDA itself can ensure sesame is regulated on the labels of food products, given that some of the legal issues may well be insurmountable for this particular class action. This note explores the potential solutions to difficult legal hurdles in constructing a sesame allergy class action, arguing that litigating a sesame allergy class action—even if it is not ultimately successful—could start a productive conversation that might lead Congress or FDA to provide greater public health and consumer protection for those with sesame allergy.

  5. Food Allergy Concerns in Primary Classrooms: Keeping Children Safe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thelen, Peggy; Cameron, Elizabeth Ann

    2012-01-01

    Food-allergy awareness and management have only lately come to the forefront in early childhood settings, although advocacy organizations have been working on the issue for more than a decade. A national poll (C.S. Mott Children's Hospital 2009) asked parents with children in early education settings if they were aware of what their program does…

  6. Peanut allergy as a family project: social relations and transitions in adolescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stensgaard, Anette; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten; Nielsen, Dorthe

    2017-11-01

    To explore and better understand the impact that peanut allergy can have on family experiences in everyday life through interviews with individual family members. Peanut allergy affects adolescents' quality of life through the need to avoid eating peanut-containing food and the risk of anaphylaxis. Adolescence is a period of increasing separation from parents and has the highest risk of food fatalities. A qualitative interview study taking a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach. Data were generated through semi-structured individual interviews with the adolescent with peanut allergy, and both parents and a sibling. Five families were interviewed, with 20 participants in total. The theoretical foundation was the family as an interactive system, and data were analysed with Ricoeur's theory of interpretation. The consequences of peanut allergy appeared to affect all family members and required knowledge and understanding, especially in the social network. Siblings took responsibility and had concerns for the well-being of the adolescent with allergy, while parents expressed difficulties with their child's transition to independence and their subsequent loss of control. Social relations with new family members or friends were challenged by lack of knowledge about the potential seriousness of peanut allergy. Risk and uncertainty were permanent companions for the adolescents with peanut allergy and their families. It takes time to acquire the necessary understanding about peanut allergy and the risk of anaphylaxis. The adolescent's social network also needs this knowledge during the transition to independent living. In the management of peanut allergy in adolescence, it is important to consider not only the smaller biological family unit (mothers, fathers and siblings) but to also take a wider perspective to include others such as stepfamily and friends. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Systematic review on cashew nut allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Valk, J P M; Dubois, A E J; Gerth van Wijk, R; Wichers, H J; de Jong, N W

    2014-06-01

    Recent studies on cashew nut allergy suggest that the prevalence of cashew nut allergy is increasing. Cashew nut consumption by allergic patients can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis. This review summarizes current knowledge on cashew nut allergy to facilitate timely clinical recognition and to promote awareness of this emerging food allergy amongst clinicians. The goal of this study is to present a systematic review focused on the clinical aspects of allergy to cashew nut including the characteristics of cashew nut, the prevalence, allergenic components, cross-reactivity, diagnosis and management of cashew nut allergy. The literature search yielded 255 articles of which 40 met our selection criteria and were considered to be relevant for this review. The 40 articles included one prospective study, six retrospective studies and seven case reports. The remaining 26 papers were not directly related to cashew nut allergy. The literature suggests that the prevalence of cashew nut allergy is increasing, although the level of evidence for this is low. A minimal amount of cashew nut allergen may cause a severe allergic reaction, suggesting high potency comparable with other tree nuts and peanuts. Cashew allergy is clearly an underestimated important healthcare problem, especially in children. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. [Allergic transfusion reactions in a patient with multiple food allergies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strobel, E; Schöniger, M; Münz, M; Hiefinger-Schindlbeck, R

    2012-07-01

    A 13-year-old girl with an osteosarcoma was treated by surgery and chemotherapy. During three transfusions of apheresis platelet concentrates allergic reactions occurred, partly in spite of premedication with an antihistamine and a corticoid. As the patient declared to be allergic to some foods, in-vitro tests for allergen-specific IgE antibodies were performed and showed markedly positive results for specific IgE to carrot and celery, less so to hazelnut, peanut and a lot of other food antigens. The donor of one of the unsuitable platelet concentrates remembered when questioned, that he had eaten carrots and chocolate with hazelnuts during the evening before platelet donation. Two washed platelet concentrates were transfused without any problem. Furthermore, transfusions of nine red blood cell concentrates and one unit of virus-inactivated frozen pooled plasma were well tolerated. Patients should be asked for allergies previous to transfusions to be alert to allergic reactions in patients with a positive history of food or drug allergies. If premedication with antihistamines does not prevent severe allergic transfusion reactions, transfusion of washed platelet concentrates and of virus-inactivated frozen pooled plasma can be considered. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Probiotics in Asthma and Allergy Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurizio Mennini

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Interest in probiotic research and its potential benefits in infant foods are relatively recent but significantly increasing. The evolution of the knowledge in the last 20 years demonstrated that alterations in the microbiome may be a consequence of events occurring during infancy or childhood, including prematurity, cesarean section, and nosocomial infections. Several pieces of evidence prove that a “healthy” intestinal microbiota facilitates the development of immune tolerance. Interventional studies suggest that probiotics could be protective against the development of many diseases. Nevertheless, many factors complicate the analysis of dysbiosis in subjects with food allergy. Comparison in-between studies are difficult, because of considerable heterogeneity in study design, sample size, age at fecal collection, methods of analysis of gut microbiome, and geographic location. Currently, there is no positive recommendation from scientific societies to use pre- or probiotics for treatment of food allergy or other allergic manifestations, while their use in prevention is being custom-cleared. However, the recommendation is still based on little evidence. Although there is valid scientific evidence in vitro, there is no sufficient information to suggest the use of specific probiotics in allergy and asthma prevention.

  10. Recommendations for the management of food allergies in a preschool/childcare setting and prevention of anaphylaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, Lara S; Turner, Paul J; Campbell, Dianne E

    2014-07-01

    Food allergy and anaphylaxis occur most commonly in children under five, the majority of whom attend preschool and early childcare. Children under five differ significantly from school-aged children, as do their care environments, yet specific strategies for managing food allergies in early childcare settings are generally lacking in existing guidelines and legislation. In this review, we outline the scope of the problem, the unique challenges encountered in the preschool environment and existing policy and legislation in Australia, the US, Canada and the UK. We outline the management guidelines and resources available from specialist societies, and the evidence base for specific management strategies including voluntary versus legislative approaches, staff training and education, banning of foods, and availability of multiple and generic adrenaline auto-injectors. We call for greater uniformity and consistency of policy in regards to the recognition and management of infants and children with food allergy in the preschool environment and specific programmes and policies tailored to this environment.

  11. Sensitivity Comparison of the Skin Prick Test and Serum and Fecal Radio Allergosorbent Test (RAST in Diagnosis of Food Allergy in Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Reza Kianifar

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Diagnosis of food allergy is difficult in children. Food allergies are diagnosed using several methods that include medical histories, clinical examinations, skin prick and serum-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE tests, radio-allergosorbent test (RAST, food challenge, and supervised elimination diets. In this study we evaluated allergies to cow's milk, egg, peanut, and fish in children with suspected food allergies with skin prick tests and serum and feces RAST. Methods: Forty-one children with clinical symptoms of food allergies were enrolled in the study. Skin prick tests and serum and fecal RAST were performed and compared with challenge tests. Results: The most common sites of food allergy symptoms were gastrointestinal (82.9% and skin (48.8%. 100% of the patients responded to the challenge tests with cow’s milk, egg, peanut, and fish. 65% of the patients tested positive with the skin prick test, 12.1% tested positive with serum RAST, and 29.2% tested positive with fecal RAST. Conclusions: The skin prick test was more sensitive than serum or fecal RAST, and fecal RAST was more than twice as sensitive as serum RAST.

  12. Duration of a cow-milk exclusion diet worsens parents' perception of quality of life in children with food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Indinnimeo, Luciana; Baldini, Luciano; De Vittori, Valentina; Zicari, Anna Maria; De Castro, Giovanna; Tancredi, Giancarlo; Lais, Giulia; Duse, Marzia

    2013-12-05

    In Italy, rigorous studies obtained with specific and validated questionnaires that explore the impact of exclusion diets on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with food allergies are lacking. In this cross-sectional study, we wished to validate the Italian version of a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire, and assess the impact of exclusion diets on the HRQoL in a cohort of Italian children with IgE-mediated food allergies. Children on an exclusion diet for ≥1 food were enrolled consecutively, and their parents completed the validated Italian version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) and Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM). Ninety-six parents of children aged 0-12 years answered the FAQLQ-PF. The validity of the construct of the questionnaire was assessed by correlation between the FAQLQ-PF and FAIM-PF (r = 0.85). The Italian version of the FAQLQ had good internal consistency (Cronbach's α >0.70). Factors that mainly influenced the HRQoL were older age, severity of food allergy, and the duration of the cow milk-exclusion diet. The FAQLQ-PF, validated in Italian, is a reliable instrument. Worse QoL scores were observed among older children, those with severe systemic reactions, and those with a prolonged cow milk-free diet. It is very important to consider the QoL assessment as an integral part of food-allergy management. These results emphasize the need to administer exclusion diets only for the necessary time and the importance of assessment of the HRQoL in these patients.

  13. The Efficacy of the Use of Probiotic Therapy in Young Children with Food Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.S. Ivakhnenko

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study — to evaluate the efficacy of inclusion of probiotics Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 (1 × 109 CFU and Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 (1 × 108 CFU in the compbined treatment of atopic dermatitis in infants on the background of food allergy to cow’s milk protein. The study revealed that the addition of probiotics Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 (1 × 109 CFU, and Streptococcus thermophilus TH-4 (1 × 108 CFU for 4 weeks in infants with atopic dermatitis and proved allergy to cow’s milk protein against the elimination diet and basic treatment improves the clinical course of the disease, has a significantly positive impact on the clinical course of atopic dermatitis, reduces gastrointestinal symptoms of food allergies and has little influence on the occurrence of obstructive bronchitis.

  14. Abordagem laboratorial no diagnóstico da alergia alimentar Laboratorial approach in the diagnosis of food allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Rodrigues Cocco

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Revisar os exames laboratoriais disponíveis utilizados no diagnóstico da alergia alimentar mediada ou não por IgE. FONTES DE DADOS: Artigos publicados em base de dados PubMed e Embase (língua inglesa e portuguesa nos últimos dez anos. As palavras-chave utilizadas como fonte de busca foram "alergia alimentar", "diagnóstico" e "laboratório", isolados e/ou associados. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: A abordagem diagnóstica das reações alérgicas a alimentos inclui história clínica completa, estudos laboratoriais, dietas de eliminação e desencadeamentos cegos com alimentos. Recentemente, a medida quantitativa de anticorpos IgE específicos a alimentos tem mostrado ser mais preditiva de alergia alimentar sintomática mediada por IgE. Níveis séricos de IgE específica a alimento que excedam os valores diagnósticos indicam que o paciente tem chance maior que 95% de apresentar uma reação alérgica se ingerir o alimento em questão. Estes "valores de decisão" foram definidos para alguns alimentos e resultados inconsistentes são obtidos ao se estudar diferentes populações. Os desencadeamentos com alimento, especialmente o duplo-cego controlado por placebo (DADCCP, representa a maneira mais confiável de estabelecer ou descartar o diagnóstico de hipersensibilidade alimentar. CONCLUSÕES: Número crescente de aquisições tem melhorado o valor preditivo de alguns testes laboratoriais empregados no diagnóstico de alergias alimentares. Entretanto, até hoje, não há teste in vitro ou in vivo que mostre correlação completa com a clínica da alergia alimentar. O DADCCP continua sendo o padrão-ouro no diagnóstico definitivo de alergia alimentar específica. São necessárias, urgentemente, novas abordagens diagnósticas válidadas em pacientes com alergia alimentar confirmada por DADCCP positivo.OBJCTIVE: Review the available laboratory tests used to assist in the diagnosis of IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated food allergy. DATA

  15. Efficacy and immunological actions of FAHF-2 in a murine model of multiple food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Kamal D; Bardina, Ludmilla; Sampson, Hugh A; Li, Xiu-Min

    2012-05-01

    Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) prevents anaphylaxis in a murine model of peanut allergy. Multiple food allergies (MFA) are common and associated with a higher risk of anaphylaxis. No well-characterized murine model of sensitization to multiple food allergens exists, and no satisfactory therapy for MFA is currently available. To determine the effect of FAHF-2 in a murine model of MFA. C3H/HeJ mice were orally sensitized to peanut, codfish, and egg concurrently. Oral FAHF-2 treatment commenced 1 day after completing sensitization and continued daily for 7 weeks. Mice were subsequently orally challenged with each allergen. Antibodies in sera from mice simultaneously sensitized with peanut, codfish, and egg recognized major allergens of all 3 foods, demonstrating sensitization to multiple unrelated food allergens (MFA mice). Sham-treated MFA mice exhibited anaphylactic symptoms accompanied by elevation of plasma histamine and hypothermia. In contrast, FAHF-2-treated MFA mice showed no anaphylactic symptoms, normal body temperature, and histamine levels after challenge with each allergen. Protection was accompanied by reduction in allergen-specific immunoglobulin E levels. Allergen-stimulated Th2 cytokine interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 production levels decreased, whereas the Th1 cytokine interferon-γ levels were elevated in cultured splenocytes and mesenteric lymph node cells in FAHF-2-treated mice. We established the first murine model of MFA. FAHF-2 prevents peanut, egg, and fish-induced anaphylactic reactions in this model, suggesting that FAHF-2 may have potential for treating human MFA. Copyright © 2012 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Peanut allergy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hourihane, Jonathan O'B

    2011-04-01

    Peanut allergy may affect up to 2% of children in some countries, making it one of the most common conditions of childhood. Peanut allergy is a marker of a broad and possibly severe atopic phenotype. Nearly all children with peanut allergy have other allergic conditions. Peanut accounts for a disproportionate number of fatal and near fatal food-related allergies. Families with a child or children with peanut allergy can struggle to adapt to the stringent avoidance measures required. Although oral induction of tolerance represents the cutting edge of peanut allergy management, it is not yet ready for routine practice.

  17. Genetic variation at the Th2 immune gene IL13 is associated with IgE-mediated paediatric food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashley, S E; Tan, H-T T; Peters, R; Allen, K J; Vuillermin, P; Dharmage, S C; Tang, M L K; Koplin, J; Lowe, A; Ponsonby, A-L; Molloy, J; Matheson, M C; Saffery, R; Ellis, J A; Martino, D

    2017-08-01

    Food allergies pose a considerable world-wide public health burden with incidence as high as one in ten in 12-month-old infants. Few food allergy genetic risk variants have yet been identified. The Th2 immune gene IL13 is a highly plausible genetic candidate as it is central to the initiation of IgE class switching in B cells. Here, we sought to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms at IL13 are associated with the development of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy. We genotyped nine IL13 "tag" single nucleotide polymorphisms (tag SNPs) in 367 challenge-proven food allergic cases, 199 food-sensitized tolerant cases and 156 non-food allergic controls from the HealthNuts study. 12-month-old infants were phenotyped using open oral food challenges. SNPs were tested using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test adjusted for ancestry strata. A replication study was conducted in an independent, co-located sample of four paediatric cohorts consisting of 203 food allergic cases and 330 non-food allergic controls. Replication sample phenotypes were defined by clinical history of reactivity, 95% PPV or challenge, and IL13 genotyping was performed. IL13 rs1295686 was associated with challenge-proven food allergy in the discovery sample (P=.003; OR=1.75; CI=1.20-2.53). This association was also detected in the replication sample (P=.03, OR=1.37, CI=1.03-1.82) and further supported by a meta-analysis (P=.0006, OR=1.50). However, we cannot rule out an association with food sensitization. Carriage of the rs1295686 variant A allele was also associated with elevated total plasma IgE. We show for the first time, in two independent cohorts, that IL13 polymorphism rs1295686 (in complete linkage disequilibrium with functional variant rs20541) is associated with challenge-proven food allergy. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. The epidemiologic characteristics of healthcare provider-diagnosed eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and food allergy in children: a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, David A; Grundmeier, Robert W; Ram, Gita; Spergel, Jonathan M

    2016-08-20

    The rates of childhood allergic conditions are changing, prompting the need for continued surveillance. Examination of healthcare provider-based diagnosis data is an important and lacking methodology needed to complement existing studies that rely on participant reporting. Utilizing our care network of 1,050,061 urban and sub-urban children, we defined two retrospective cohorts: (1) a closed birth cohort of 29,662 children and (2) a cross-sectional cohort of 333,200 children. These cohorts were utilized to determine the epidemiologic characteristics of the conditions studied. Logistic regression was utilized to determine the extent to which food allergy was associated with respiratory allergy. In our birth cohort, the peak age at diagnosis of eczema, asthma, rhinitis, and food allergy was between 0 and 5 months (7.3 %), 12 and 17 months (8.7 %), 24 and 29 months (2.5 %), and 12 and 17 months (1.9 %), respectively. In our cross-sectional cohort, eczema and rhinitis prevalence rates were 6.7 % and 19.9 %, respectively. Asthma prevalence was 21.8 %, a rate higher than previously reported. Food allergy prevalence was 6.7 %, with the most common allergenic foods being peanut (2.6 %), milk (2.2 %), egg (1.8 %), shellfish (1.5 %), and soy (0.7 %). Food allergy was associated with development of asthma (OR 2.16, 95 % CI 1.94-2.40), and rhinitis (OR 2.72, 95 % CI 2.45-3.03). Compared with previous reports, we measure lower rates of eczema and higher rates of asthma. The distribution of the major allergenic foods diverged from prior figures, and food allergy was associated with the development of respiratory allergy. The utilization of provider-based diagnosis data contributes an important and lacking methodology that complements existing studies.

  19. Feeding difficulties in children with food protein-induced gastrointestinal allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Rosan; Rommel, Nathalie; Van Oudenhove, Lukas; Fleming, Catharine; Dziubak, Robert; Shah, Neil

    2014-10-01

    There is paucity of data on the prevalence of feeding difficulties in Food Protein-Induced Gastrointestinal Allergies (FPIGA) and their clinical characteristics. However, it is a commonly reported problem by clinicians. We set out to establish the occurrence of feeding difficulties in children with FPIGA, the association with gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms and number of foods eliminated from the diet. This retrospective observational analysis was performed in patients seen between 2002 and 2009 at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, Gastroenterology Department, London. Medical records where FPIGA was documented using the terms from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and National Institute of Clinical Excellence and confirmed using an elimination diet, followed by a challenge were included. Feeding difficulties were assessed using a criteria previously used in healthy toddlers in the UK. Data from 437 children (203 female) were collected. Significantly more children with feeding difficulties presented with abdominal distention and bloating (P = 0.002), vomiting (P foods eliminated from the diet in the children with/without feeding difficulties (P = 0.028). Clinical manifestations like vomiting, constipation, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and the presence of extra-intestinal manifestations in addition to the number of foods avoided are in our FPIGA population linked to feeding difficulties. © 2014 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Food Allergy Emergencies in Children – To what extent are Early Years Services Prepared? A cross-sectional survey

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    MacGiobuin, S

    2017-08-01

    Food allergies are common in preschool children. This study’s aims are to establish prevalence, to clarify management practices, levels of preparedness and the perceived role of General Practitioners amongst Early Years Services providers. This study is an anonymous, quantitative, cross sectional study. An online questionnaire was distributed to 282 Early Years Service providers. Data were analysed using SPSS. Response rate was 35% (n=98). Prevalence of food allergy was 3% (n=119). Allergic reactions to food had occurred on site in 16% (n=15). Written emergency action plans were available in 47% of facilities (n=46). Medications were not kept on site in 63% (n=62) of facilities. General practitioners were felt to have an important role in the management of food allergies by 76% of respondents (n=61). This study identifies significant areas for improvement in the management of food allergic child in Early Years Services

  1. Drug Allergy

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    EL-HAKIM

    Immunology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Ain Shams University, Cairo ... the case with food allergies).7,8 The parentral route ..... molecular-weight agents. ... and lack positive controls. ..... Immunology; Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and.

  2. The prevalence of food allergy and other allergic diseases in early childhood in a population-based study: HealthNuts age 4-year follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Rachel L; Koplin, Jennifer J; Gurrin, Lyle C; Dharmage, Shyamali C; Wake, Melissa; Ponsonby, Anne-Louise; Tang, Mimi L K; Lowe, Adrian J; Matheson, Melanie; Dwyer, Terence; Allen, Katrina J

    2017-07-01

    The HealthNuts study previously reported interim prevalence data showing the highest prevalence of challenge-confirmed food allergy in infants internationally. However, population-derived prevalence data on challenge-confirmed food allergy and other allergic diseases in preschool-aged children remain sparse. This study aimed to report the updated prevalence of food allergy at age 1 year from the whole cohort, and to report the prevalence of food allergy, asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis at age 4 years. HealthNuts is a population-based cohort study with baseline recruitment of 5276 one-year-old children who underwent skin prick test (SPT) to 4 food allergens and those with detectable SPT results had formal food challenges. At age 4 years, parents completed a questionnaire (81.3% completed) and those who previously attended the HealthNuts clinic at age 1 year or reported symptoms of a new food allergy were invited for an assessment that included SPT and oral food challenges. Data on asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis were captured by validated International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaires. The prevalence of challenge-confirmed food allergy at age 1 and 4 years was 11.0% and 3.8%, respectively. At age 4 years, peanut allergy prevalence was 1.9% (95% CI, 1.6% to 2.3%), egg allergy was 1.2% (95% CI, 0.9% to 1.6%), and sesame allergy was 0.4% (95% CI, 0.3% to 0.6%). Late-onset peanut allergy at age 4 years was rare (0.2%). The prevalence of current asthma was 10.8% (95% CI, 9.7% to 12.1%), current eczema was 16.0% (95% CI, 14.7% to 17.4%), and current allergic rhinitis was 8.3% (95% CI, 7.2% to 9.4%). Forty percent to 50% of this population-based cohort experienced symptoms of an allergic disease in the first 4 years of their life. Although the prevalence of food allergy decreased between age 1 year and age 4 years in this population-based cohort, the prevalence of any allergic disease among 4-year-old children in Melbourne

  3. Soy Allergy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Many foods, such as meat products, bakery goods, chocolate and breakfast cereals, may contain soy. Symptoms For ... greater risk of developing a soy allergy: Family history. You're at increased risk of allergy to ...

  4. Cow's milk protein allergy and other food hypersensitivities in infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venter, Carina

    2009-01-01

    Food hypersensitivity (FHS) is the umbrella term used to describe both food allergy, which involves the immune system, and food intolerances, which do not. It is therefore important that the diagnosis is made by a specialist health care professional such as a paediatrician or allergist. Some experienced dietitians and health visitors may be able to assist in making a diagnosis. The diagnostic work-up includes a medical history and blood tests/skin tests (where applicable). A food and symptom diary followed by a special test diet to identify the foods causing the infant's symptoms may also be needed. Once a diagnosis is made, dietary advice should be given to eliminate or reduce the intake of the offending foods. For cow's milk hypersensitivity in infants, this will include choosing the most appropriate specialised infant formula.

  5. Laboratory tests for diagnosis of food allergy: advantages, disadvantages and future perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moneret-Vautrin, D A; Kanny, G; Frémont, S

    2003-04-01

    Numerous biological tests point to the diagnosis of food sensitization: detection of specific IgEs by Rast techniques, multi-detection assays, immunoblotting, screening of basophil activation (BAT or FAST), assays for leukotriene LTC4 release (CAST), measurement of plasma histamine, serum tryptase, serum ECP, urinary EDN, completed by mannitol-lactulose test evaluating intestinal permeability, assay of fecal IgEs, Rast for specific IgG4. Primary screening for anti-food IgEs by multi-detection assays seeks justification from insufficient clinical data and false positive tests are common in patients sensitized to pollens or latex, on account of in vitro cross reactivities (CR). Multiple CR explain positive Rast to vegetal food allergens in such patients. Biological tests should not be performed as the first line of diagnosis. In vivo sensitisation is assessed by positive prick-tests, demonstrating the bivalence of allergens, as well as the affinity of specific IgEs, two conditions necessary to bridge membrane bound specific IgEs, leading to the release of mediators. Prick-tests are closer to clinical symptoms than biological tests. However, the diagnosis of food allergy is based on standardised oral challenges. Exceptions are high levels of specific IgEs to egg (> 6 kUl/l), peanut (> 15 kUl/l), fish (> 20 kUl/l) and milk (> 32 kUl/l), reaching a 95% predictive positive value. Rast inhibition tests are useful to identify masked allergens in foods. Research developments will have impact on the development of new diagnostic tools: allergen mixes reinforcing a food extract by associated recombinant major allergens, multiple combination of recombinant allergens (chips) or tests with synthetic epitopes aimed a the prediction of recovery. Laboratory tests take place in the decision free for the diagnosis for the food allergy and the follow-up of the levels specific IgEs is a tool to assess outcome and contributes to predict recovery or persistent allergy. Up to now the

  6. Allergies - overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... used to treat food allergies because of the danger of a severe reaction. Allergy shots may need ... allergic or immunologic disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil Medicine . 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: ...

  7. Responses of dogs with food allergies to single-ingredient dietary provocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffers, J G; Meyer, E K; Sosis, E J

    1996-08-01

    To characterize specific food ingredients causing allergic reactions in dogs and to assess cross-reactivity between proteins derived from a single animal source or from different plant products. Prospective study. 25 dogs with histories and cutaneous signs consistent with food-allergic dermatitis. Dogs were fed a food-elimination diet until resolution of clinical signs and then challenged with their original diet. A diagnosis of food allergy was made if there was complete return of pruritus within 14 days of challenge exposure. After diagnosis, dogs were fed the food-elimination diet until signs related to dietary challenge abated. The dogs then were fed beef, chicken, chicken eggs, cows' milk, wheat, soy, and corn in single-ingredient provocation trials for 1 week. Any cutaneous reactions to these food ingredients were recorded by their owners. Beef and soy most often caused adverse cutaneous reactions, although all ingredients induced clinical signs in at least 1 dog. Mean number of allergens per dog was 2.4, with 80% reacting to 1 or 2 proteins and 64% reacting to 2 or more of the proteins tested. A significant difference was found between dogs reacting to beef versus cows' milk and between dogs reacting to soy versus wheat; thus, the hypothesis of cross-reactivity to ingredients derived from a single animal source or to different plant products was not supported. Similar differences between chicken meat and eggs were not identified. Long-term management of dogs with food allergies is facilitated by identification of the most commonly encountered food allergens. Because cross-reactivity cannot be verified, each protein source should be included separately in food-provocation trials.

  8. Time to symptom improvement using elimination diets in non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lozinsky, Adriana Chebar; Meyer, Rosan; De Koker, Claire; Dziubak, Robert; Godwin, Heather; Reeve, Kate; Dominguez Ortega, Gloria; Shah, Neil

    2015-08-01

    The prevalence of food allergy has increased in recent decades, and there is paucity of data on time to symptom improvement using elimination diets in non-Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergies. We therefore aimed to assess the time required to improvement of symptoms using a symptom questionnaire for children with non-IgE-mediated food allergies on an elimination diet. A prospective observational study was performed on patients with non-IgE-mediated gastrointestinal food allergies on an elimination diet, who completed a questionnaire that includes nine evidence-based food allergic symptoms before and after the exclusion diet. The questionnaire measured symptoms individually from 0 (no symptom) to 5 (most severe) and collectively from 0 to 45. Children were only enrolled in the study if collectively symptoms improved with the dietary elimination within 4 or 8 weeks. Data from 131 patients were analysed including 90 boys with a median age of 21 months [IQR: 7 to 66]. Based on the symptom questionnaire, 129 patients (98.4%) improved after 4-week elimination diet and only two patients improved after 8 weeks. A statistically significant difference before and after commencing the elimination diet was seen in all nine recorded symptoms (all p < 0.001), and in the median of overall score (p < 0.001). This is the first study attempting to establish time to improve after commencing the diet elimination. Almost all children in this study improved within 4 weeks of following the elimination diet, under dietary supervision. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Food allergy: a clinician's criteria for including sera in a serum bank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballmer-Weber, B K; Fernández-Rivas, M

    2008-10-01

    Safety assessment for genetically-engineered crop plants includes assessment for allergic responses. To facilitate this assessment, serum banks should contain well-characterised sera from patients with confirmed food allergies. A serum is defined as well-characterised if it is taken from a patient who has a convincing history of allergic responses to a known allergen or an allergen-containing food, a positive skin prick test (or elevated IgE response), and a positive response in a clinical food challenge.

  10. Development, validity and reliability of the food allergy independent measure (FAIM)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Velde, J. L.; Flokstra-de Blok, B. M. J.; Vlieg - Boerstra, B. J.; Oude Elberink, J. N. G.; DunnGalvin, A.; Hourihane, J. O'B.; Duiverman, E. J.; Dubois, A. E. J.

    Background: The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form, -Teenager Form and -Adult Form (FAQLQ-CF, -TF and -AF) have recently been developed. To measure construct validity in the FAQLQs, a suitable independent measure was needed with which FAQLQ scores could be correlated. However, in

  11. Assessing Teachers' Confidence in Implementing Food Allergy Emergency Plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkins, Keturah-Elizabeth Harriett

    2017-01-01

    Food allergies are an increasing health concern in the United States, affecting nearly 6 million children under the age of 18 years. Research has suggested that 18% of school-age children will have their first allergic reactions at school. Life-threatening allergic reactions experienced by children in the school setting are on the rise; however,…

  12. Antacid medication inhibits digestion of dietary proteins and causes food allergy: a fish allergy model in BALB/c mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Untersmayr, Eva; Schöll, Isabella; Swoboda, Ines; Beil, Waltraud J; Förster-Waldl, Elisabeth; Walter, Franziska; Riemer, Angelika; Kraml, Georg; Kinaciyan, Tamar; Spitzauer, Susanne; Boltz-Nitulescu, George; Scheiner, Otto; Jensen-Jarolim, Erika

    2003-09-01

    Digestible proteins were supposed to be irrelevant for oral sensitization and induction of food allergy. Approximately 10% of the adult population uses antacids for the treatment of dyspeptic disorders, drugs that hinder peptic digestion. In these patients, proteins that are normally degradable might act as food allergens. We aimed to study the influence of antacid intake on the allergenicity of dietary proteins, taking sturgeon caviar and parvalbumin, the major fish allergen, as examples. Caviar proteins and recombinant parvalbumin from carp, rCyp c 1, were applied for intragastric feedings with or without the antacids sucralfate, ranitidine or omeprazole, using a Balb/c mouse model. Both caviar proteins and parvalbumin were rapidly degraded in an in vitro digestion assay at pH 2.0, but not at pH 5.0, imitating the effect of antacids. The groups fed with caviar in combination with ranitidine hydrochloride intramuscularly or sucralfate orally had significant levels of caviar-specific IgE antibodies (P allergy in these groups was further evidenced by oral provocation tests and positive immediate-type skin reactivity. In contrast, feedings with caviar alone led to antigen-specific T-cell tolerance. None of the groups showed immune reactivity against the daily mouse diet. As a proof of the principle, feeding mice with parvalbumin in combination with ranitidine or omeprazole intramuscularly induced allergen-specific IgE antibodies (P allergy.

  13. Tolerogenic CX3CR1+ B cells suppress food allergy-induced intestinal inflammation in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Z Q; Wu, Y; Song, J P; Liu, X; Liu, Z; Zheng, P Y; Yang, P C

    2013-10-01

    B lymphocytes are an important cell population of the immune regulation; their role in the regulation of food allergy has not been fully understood yet. This study aims to investigate the role of a subpopulation of tolerogenic B cells (TolBC) in the generation of regulatory T cells (Treg) and in the suppression of food allergy-induced intestinal inflammation in mice. The intestinal mucosa-derived CD5+ CD19+ CX3CR1+ TolBCs were characterized by flow cytometry; a mouse model of intestinal T helper (Th)2 inflammation was established to assess the immune regulatory role of this subpopulation of TolBCs. A subpopulation of CD5+ CD19+ CX3CR1+ B cells was detected in the mouse intestinal mucosa. The cells also expressed transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and carried integrin alpha v beta 6 (αvβ6). Exposure to recombinant αvβ6 and anti-IgM antibody induced naive B cells to differentiate into the TGF-β-producing TolBCs. Coculturing this subpopulation of TolBCs with Th0 cells generated CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ Tregs. Adoptive transfer with the TolBCs markedly suppressed the food allergy-induced intestinal Th2 pattern inflammation in mice. CD5+ CD19+ CX3CR1+ TolBCs are capable of inducing Tregs in the intestine and suppress food allergy-related Th2 pattern inflammation in mice. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Allergen immunotherapy for IgE-mediated food allergy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurmatov, U; Dhami, S; Arasi, S; Pajno, G B; Fernandez-Rivas, M; Muraro, A; Roberts, G; Akdis, C; Alvaro-Lozano, M; Beyer, K; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Burks, W; du Toit, G; Ebisawa, M; Eigenmann, P; Knol, E; Makela, M; Nadeau, K C; O'Mahony, L; Papadopoulos, N; Poulsen, L K; Sackesen, C; Sampson, H; Santos, A F; van Ree, R; Timmermans, F; Sheikh, A

    2017-08-01

    The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is developing Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for IgE-mediated Food Allergy. To inform the development of clinical recommendations, we sought to critically assess evidence on the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of AIT in the management of food allergy. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis that involved searching nine international electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nonrandomized studies (NRS). Eligible studies were independently assessed by two reviewers against predefined eligibility criteria. The quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for RCTs and the Cochrane ACROBAT-NRS tool for quasi-RCTs. Random-effects meta-analyses were undertaken, with planned subgroup and sensitivity analyses. We identified 1814 potentially relevant papers from which we selected 31 eligible studies, comprising of 25 RCTs and six NRS, studying a total of 1259 patients. Twenty-five trials evaluated oral immunotherapy (OIT), five studies investigated sublingual immunotherapy, and one study evaluated epicutaneous immunotherapy. The majority of these studies were in children. Twenty-seven studies assessed desensitization, and eight studies investigated sustained unresponsiveness postdiscontinuation of AIT. Meta-analyses demonstrated a substantial benefit in terms of desensitization (risk ratio (RR) = 0.16, 95% CI 0.10, 0.26) and suggested, but did not confirm sustained unresponsiveness (RR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.08, 1.13). Only one study reported on disease-specific quality of life (QoL), which reported no comparative results between OIT and control group. Meta-analyses revealed that the risk of experiencing a systemic adverse reaction was higher in those receiving AIT, with a more marked increase in the risk of local adverse reactions. Sensitivity analysis excluding those studies judged to be at high risk of bias demonstrated the

  15. Evaluation of Food Allergy in Children by Skin Prick Tests with Commercial Extracts and Fresh Foods, Specific IgE and, Open Oral Food Challenge-Our Five Years Experience in Food Allergy Work-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zivanovic, Mirjana; Atanasković-Marković, Marina; Medjo, Biljana; Gavrović-Jankulović, Marija; Smiljanić, Katarina; Tmušić, Vladimir; Djurić, Vojislav

    2017-04-01

    IgE- mediated food allergy affects 6-8% of children. Our study aimed to define the correlations between the results obtained with skin prick tests (SPTs) using commercial extracts and fresh foods, and the correlations between these result and those obtained with specific IgE (sIgE) and/ or challenge. Children aged from 2 months to 6 years were recruited prospectively. Overall 571 children were positive to one food. In all children we performed  SPT using commercial extracts of suspected food and fresh foods and sIgE. If SPT and sIgE test results did not correspond to the history, we performed open oral food challenge. Sensitivity of SPT with commercial extracts for all tested food was poor (3-35%), while  sensitivity of fresh food skin prick tests (FFSPT) was excellent (50-100%), and showed correlation with open oral food challenge (pfood extracts are more effective in detecting sensitization and with levels of sIgE greater than class 3 could predict clinical reactivity, without the need for potentially hazardous food challenges.

  16. The epidemiology of food allergy in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nwaru, B I; Hickstein, L; Panesar, S S

    2014-01-01

    by specific IgE was 10.1% (95% CI: 9.4-10.8) and skin prick test 2.7% (95% CI: 2.4-3.0), food challenge positivity 0.9% (95% CI: 0.8-1.1). While the incidence of FA appeared stable over time, there was some evidence that the prevalence may be increasing. There were no consistent risk or prognostic factors......Food allergy (FA) is an important atopic disease although its precise burden is unclear. This systematic review aimed to provide recent, up-to-date data on the incidence, prevalence, time trends, and risk and prognostic factors for FA in Europe. We searched four electronic databases, covering...... studies in a random-effects meta-analysis. Most of the studies were graded as at moderate risk of bias. The pooled lifetime and point prevalence of self-reported FA were 17.3% (95% CI: 17.0-17.6) and 5.9% (95% CI: 5.7-6.1), respectively. The point prevalence of sensitization to ≥1 food as assessed...

  17. Latex allergy: assessment of knowledge, appropriate use of gloves and prevention practice among hospital healthcare workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Niaimi, F; Chiang, Y Z; Chiang, Y N; Williams, J

    2013-01-01

    Healthcare workers and patients are often exposed to natural rubber latex (NRL) through contact with gloves and various healthcare products, which can potentially cause allergic reactions, with varying degrees of severity. In 2008, the Royal College of Physicians published their first evidence-based guidance on occupational health interventions for latex allergy, which emphasized the importance of healthcare workers having knowledge of latex allergy. This study aimed to survey the knowledge of healthcare workers (n = 156) about latex gloves and NRL allergy, routine prevention practice and the appropriate use of gloves in patient care. Healthcare workers in a large teaching hospital were surveyed using a standard questionnaire. We found that only 1% of healthcare workers were able to correctly match the appropriate gloves to the specifically designed procedure. More than half (n = 74.53%) were unable to recognize the presentation of type 1 allergy to NRL. Of the 156 participants, 131 (84%) considered that they would benefit from training about NRL allergy and the use of different types of gloves in clinical care. This survey indicates the importance of education regarding appropriate use of gloves and prevention of NRL allergy among healthcare workers, and dermatologists should play an important role in facilitating this. © The Author(s). CED © 2012 British Association of Dermatologists.

  18. Food allergy: system immunologic and main food involved Alergia alimentar: sistema imunológico e principais alimentos envolvidos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia Beltrão Lessa Constant

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Food allergy can be defined as an adverse reaction to a food antigen mediated by fundamentally immunological mechanisms. It is a nutritional problem that has shown an increase in the last decades probably due to the population’s exposure to a higher number of available food allergens. It has become a health problem worldwide being associated to a significant negative impact on life quality. The foods most cited as those which cause food allergy are: milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, shrimps, fish and soy bean. The main food allergens are protein-nature ones. There must be investment in research in order to reduce the damage caused by foods containing allergens. Biotechnology studies can be considered an efficient and safe alternative. The purpose of this research is to present an updated review on food allergies focusing on its action mechanism in the body, main food involved and alternatives that have been used to minimize this problem. A alergia alimentar pode ser definida como uma reação adversa a um antígeno alimentar mediada por mecanismos fundamentalmente imunológicos. É um problema nutricional que apresentou um crescimento nas ultimas décadas, provavelmente devido à maior exposição da população a um número maior de alérgenos alimentares disponíveis. Ele vem se tornando um problema de saúde em todo o mundo e está associado a um impacto negativo significativo na qualidade de vida. Os alimentos mais citados como causadores de alergias alimentares são: leite, ovos, amendoim, castanhas, camarão, peixe e soja, e os principais alérgenos alimentares identificados são de natureza protéica. É importante que haja investimento em pesquisas no sentido de reduzir os danos causados por alimentos que contém alérgenos. Estudos com a biotecnologia podem apresentar-se como uma alternativa eficiente e segura. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo apresentar uma revisão atualizada das alergias alimentares, com foco principal no seu mecanismo de

  19. RELATIVE POTENCY OF ORAL ANTIGENS IN PROVOKING FOOD ALLERGY IN THE MOUS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rationale: An animal model for food allergy is needed to test novel proteins produced through biotechnology for potential allergenicity. While the oral route is the most relevant method of exposure, oral tolerance is an impediment. We demonstrate that mice can distinguish...

  20. Don't Forget to Pack My EpiPen[R] Please: What Issues Does Food Allergy Present for Children's Starting School?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanagavarapu, Prathyusha

    2012-01-01

    Food allergy impairs the health-related quality of life of both the affected children and their families. In particular, parents and children become anxious about the potential risks and consequences of food allergy, including disruptions in families' and children's social activities, the need for constant vigilance, children's safety, and the…