Pediatria pre prax 5/2012

On food allergy

Food allergy (FA) affects approximately 2–3 % of the worldwide population except for children under 3 years of age. In this age group, particularly in infants, the prevalence is as high as 5–8 %. FA is by far the first allergy to be diagnosed and presents with gastrointestinal, dermal or, possibly, respiratory symptoms. If FA develops in the first year of life, which may be contributed to by just a few basic foods, a seemingly favorable phenomenon of „burning out“ is observed. About 90 % of early-onset FAs resolve even at preschool age. However, it may in turn predict the development of an allergy that is qualitatively new, predominantly affecting the respiratory tract mucosa. Over 50% of initial food allergics suffer from either allergic rhinitis or the more feared allergic asthma at the age of eight years. One condition thus progresses into another, less optimistic one. This is referred to as the allergy march. A future allergic airway inflammation is strongly linked, in particular, to cow‘s milk protein allergy (CMPA) and egg allergy in infancy.

Keywords: food allergy, IgE, non-IgE, oral tolerance, cross-reactive allergy, cow‘s milk protein allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, allergic colitis, elimination diet.