Alergia a la leche y al huevo: diagnóstico, manejo e implicaciones en América Latina / Milk and egg allergy: Diagnosis, management and implications for Latin America

La sensibilización a alimentos y el desarrollo de alergias alimentarias viene aumentando en todo el mundo, siendo la leche de vaca y el huevo de gallina los principales alimentos implicados. En la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos no existen guías de manejo y cuando se elaboren deberán adaptarse a las condiciones de la población de cada región. En el presente artículo presentamos una revisión del manejo de la alergia alimentaria a la leche y al huevo útil para el personal de salud de todos los niveles, así como algunas consideraciones de los factores presentes en los países latinoamericanos.

Sensitization to food allergens, as well as the development of food allergies, is increasing worldwide, and cow´s milk and hen´s eggs are the main implicated foods. In most Latin American countries there are no management guidelines on the aforementioned topics; at their creation, such guidelines should be adapted to the conditions of the population in each region. This paper presents a review of the management of food allergy to milk and eggs useful for health personnel at all levels and some considerations of the factors found in Latin American developing countries.

Prevalence of adverse food reactions and food allergy among Thai children.

INTRODUCTION: Adverse food reactions are not uncommon among children. Several of these reactions are IgE-mediated. Prevalence of adverse food reactions among Thai children has not been fully explored. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study are (1) to determine prevalence of adverse food reactions and food allergy among Thai children, (2) to determine types of foods producing such reactions, (3) to study clinical manifestations of these reactions, and (4) to study various risk factors relating to food adverse reactions among these children. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 656 Thai children were surveyed (188 subjects between 6 months to 3 years of age and 468 subjects between 3 to 6 years of age). The study was a cross-sectional study. Parents answered food allergy questionnaire. Families with children reporting adverse food reactions were invited to participate in further investigation for food allergy with skin prick testings and food challenges. RESULTS: Forty-one of 656 children (6.25%) were reported to experience prior food reactions by questionnaire survey. Common foods reported to be the cause of reactions among younger children were cow's milk and eggs whereas seafood, particularly shrimp, was the most commonly reported food for older children. Three of 21 children underwent food challenge had positive challenges. Skin prick tests to incriminated food were all positive in these three children. Significant risk factors for developing adverse food reactions among these children were personal allergic history (OR = 4.89, CI 2.2-10.75) and family history of allergy (OR = 2.87, CI 1.42-5.89). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of adverse food reactions using food allergy questionnaire was 6.25%. From a limited number of those with positive food challenges, prevalence of IgE-mediated food allergy among this group of Thai children is estimated to be 0.45% (CI 0.01-0.8%).

Food Sensitization in Infants and Young Children with Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease. Children with AD tend to have a higher prevalence of food allergies. This study investigated the clinical significance of food sensitization in AD patients. A total of 266 AD patients participated in this study. The prevalence of food sensitization and clinically relevant sensitization were compared in the subjects according to their age and AD severity. Sera from all patients were analyzed for food-specific IgE levels using the Pharmacia CAP System FEIA. The serum specific IgE levels for egg, milk, peanut and soybean were measured. Patients were regarded as sensitized to the food if their food-specific IgE levels were above 0.35 kUA/L. Also the food-specific IgE levels, the so-called diagnostic decision point, which is recommended as the clinically relevant level, for clinical food allergy, as suggested by Sampson et al, was used as an alternative method. From the measurement of food-specific IgE antibodies of the four foods, egg was the most highly sensitized and the main causative allergenic food in children with AD. The positive rates of specific IgE to the four major food allergens, and the prevalences of clinically relevant food sensitization, were higher for all foods tested in the group less than 1 year of age, and were significantly higher in moderate to severe AD compared to mild AD in infants and young children. In summary, presence of food specific IgE is prevalent in infants and young children with AD, and clinically relevant food sensitization is important in Korean infants and children with moderate to severe AD.