RESUMO
Most adult cases of hen's egg allergy are carried over from childhood, and new-onset adult cases are rare. Such cases may result from cross-reactivity or sensitization by inhalation. Here we present a rare case of adult-onset egg allergy due to monosensitization to ovalbumin (Gal d 2) with an unclear sensitization pathway. A 27-year-old woman developed recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion of raw and under-cooked eggs. She had never suffered from atopic dermatitis or food allergies. She had never kept birds as pets and had no history of exposure to egg allergens. Prick to prick testing was positive only with raw egg white. Specific IgE testing revealed monosensitization to Gal d 2. She was advised to avoid raw and undercooked eggs and her symptoms resolved. In the management of adult-onset egg allergy, evaluation of allergen components will lead to appropriate elimination guidelines, and investigation of sensitization pathways may help identify the cause of this disease.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To compare the diagnostic performance of two norovirus rapid immunochromatographic kits (QuickNavi(®)-Norovirus [QN] and QuickNavi®-Norovirus 2 [QN2]; Denka Seiken, Niigata, Japan) for neonatal and infant faecal specimens. METHODS: Monthly faecal samples were collected from infants from birth to 12 months of age, and tested for norovirus using QN and QN2. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used as the gold standard for norovirus detection. The diagnostic performance of the kits was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 343 specimens from 81 infants were analysed. In all samples, the specificity of QN and QN2 was 80% (275/343) and 99% (339/343), respectively. In infants aged <1 month, the specificity of QN was 33% (23/70), increasing to 93% at 4 months of age. Specificity of QN2 was ≥94% in infants between 0 and 12 months of age. CONCLUSIONS: QN2 offers improved performance and is more useful than QN for the diagnosis of norovirus infection in the neonatal and infant period.