Asthma Allergy Immunology

Asthma Allergy Immunology

2014, Vol 12, Num, 2     (Pages: 070-082)

Various clinical presentations of food allergy in children

Öner ÖZDEMİR 1,

1 Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey

Viewed: 921
 - 
Downloaded : 636

Food allergy is an important public health problem that affects adults and children and has been increasing in incidence. Despite the risk of severe allergic reactions and even death, there is still no certain treatment for food allergy at the moment. Moreover, the diagnosis of food allergy may be problematic as well, given that non-allergic food reactions, such as food intolerances and intoxications, are frequently confused with food allergy. Gastrointestinal system symptoms e.g. vomiting and diarrhea in consequence of food allergy include a spectrum of disorders such as proctocolitis and enterocolitis that result from adverse immunologic responses to dietary antigens. Cutaneous reactions to foods are some of the most common presentations of food allergy and include IgE-mediated (urticaria), cell-mediated (contact dermatitis), and mixed IgE/cellmediated reactions (atopic dermatitis). Food-induced respiratory system manifestations such as asthma and Heiner`s syndrome are also discussed in this review. Although any food might cause systemic symptoms such as anaphylaxis, the most commonly implicated foods in fatal cases are peanut, tree nuts, shellfish, and fish.

Keywords : Food allergy, atopic dermatitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, Heiner`s syndrome, enterocolitis