scholarly journals Prevalence of Self-Reported Food Allergy in Lebanon: A Middle-Eastern Taste

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Irani ◽  
G. Maalouly
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Specific Ige ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Skin Reactions ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Proper Diagnosis ◽  
Telephone Calls ◽  
Allergy Prevalence ◽  
In Infants And Children

Background. Food allergy (FA) is an important health problem in Western countries but there is limited data on the prevalence of food allergy in the Middle East. The main objective of our study is to assess the prevalence of self-reported food allergy in Lebanon. Methods. The survey was conducted by Telephone Calls questionnaire through random selection of landline phone numbers from the white pages all over Lebanon. A study questionnaire addressing the main objectives of the study was filled during the telephone call conversation. Results. Food allergy prevalence is estimated to be 4.1% in infants and children and 3.2% in adults. 65% of patients suffering from food allergy are females and 35% are males. Skin reactions are the most common symptoms among food allergy sufferers, reported in 86% of the cases. Signs of anaphylaxis appeared in 10.8% of cases. Fruits were the most common allergens at 35%, followed by eggs (19%) and nuts (16%). Cow’s milk and spices ranked fourth (14%). Only half of food allergy sufferers sought medical advice. Allergists, dermatologists, gastroenterologists, or GPs (general practitioners) were consulted. Blood testing for specific IgE was the main diagnostic tool used by physicians. Conclusion. This is a pilot study of self-reported food allergy prevalence in Lebanon based on telephone survey. General prevalence is estimated to be 4.1% in infants and children and 3.2% in adults. Our study may improve awareness for proper diagnosis, food elimination, and acquisition of epinephrine autoinjectors in this part of the world.

Natural history of food allergy in infants and children in Israel

2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (6) ◽  
pp. 637-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darit Aaronov ◽  
Diana Tasher ◽  
Arie Levine ◽  
Eli Somekh ◽  
Francis Serour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
History Of ◽  
In Infants And Children

Extraintestinal manifestations of food allergy in infants and children

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Vandenplas ◽  
S.L. Bahna ◽  
J Bousquet ◽  
L Businco ◽  
R.K. Chandra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Extraintestinal Manifestations ◽  
In Infants And Children

scholarly journals CLINICAL AND LABORATORY ASPECTS OF DETECTING SPECIFIC IgE ANTIBODIES TO COW’S MILK AND ITS COMPONENTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 937-944
Author(s):  
N. A. Alkhutova ◽  
N. A. Kovyazina ◽  
O. L. Zhizhina
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Specific Ige ◽  
Infants And Children ◽  
Cow Milk ◽  
School Age ◽  
Milk Allergy ◽  
Ige Antibodies ◽  
Specific Ige Antibodies ◽  
Antibody Levels

Food allergy against cow milk and its components is highly prevalent among infants and children of pre-school and young school age being a sufficient factor influencing health condition of children during the maturation period. Clinical signs of the milk allergy are non-specific, and they may be pronounced or expressed in mild form, thus enabling hypodiagnistics of this disorder. Moreover, a variety of milk antigens determines different clinical course of this allergic condition and brings additional difficulties to its diagnostics and treatment. Meanwhile, a sensibilization for the cow milk proteins may sometimes trigger a generalized atopy and bronchial asthma, being a factor delayed growth and other health disorders. At the present time, there are no distinct risk criteria for milk allergy. Therefore, its successful prophylaxis and treatment largely depends on the competence of clinical allergologist and informativity of the diagnostic techniques used. So far, however, we have no generally approved laboratory algorithms for diagnostics and monitoring of treatment efficiency in the cow milk allergy and its compomemts.We have performed a laboratory study of 187 children at the age of 3 months to 10 years. An immunochemoluminescent assay of specific IgE antibody levels to the cow milk using IMMULITE 2000/XPi analyzer has revealed its good informative value at different approaches to prediction and evaluation of food allergy treatment, both oriented for a critical cutoff value of 3 МU/L, and by monitoring a decrease in antibody levels. The authors consider rational an extended indefinity principle during the patient-oriented interpretation of IgE assay results if clinical decision is based on critical value of the index. In cases of clinical monitoring, the limit of interim reproducibility should be taken into account. The prevalence of specific cow milk antibodies among the boys was higher than among girls, however, with lesser frequency of moderate/high reactivity among the males. Moreover. the cases were detected with higher levels of anti-beta-lactalbumin IgG than those against whole milk. This finding should be considered during the screening studies.On the basis of literature analysis and own results, the authors propose an extensive study of specific IgE antibodies against cow milk and its components in blood serum of infants and children form the pre-school and junior school age groups. 

scholarly journals Age-specific Epidemiology of the Antibody Response Prevalence in Children with Food Allergy

2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-76
Author(s):  
M. A. Snovskaya ◽  
L. S. Namazova-Baranova ◽  
E. L. Semikina ◽  
S. G. Makarova ◽  
O. V. Kozhevnikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Antibody Response ◽  
Positive Response ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Food Product ◽  
Specific Ige ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Allergenic Activity

Food allergy (FA) is an important health problem which determines lower life quality of a patient and his family. Egg proteins, milk, soy, wheat, and nuts provoke FA more often but any food product may potentially cause allergic reactions. So the aim was to study the age-specific dynamics of antibody response and select the most meaningful IgE production triggers in children with PA. Materials and Methods. The study included 682 children with FA divided into groups according to age: 2−5 months, 6−18 months, 1.5−4 years, 4−10 years, older than 10 years. The IgE levels to cereals, vegetables, bananas, meat, and poultry allergens were measured in blood samples. Results. The age dynamic of IgE-positive responses was detected. The frequency of positive responses was higher in older children. The most significant IgE production triggers for 2−5 months children were allergens of potatoes, pork and cereals (8−14%); for 6−18 month children potatoes (22.7%), buckwheat (19,3%), cereals (10−15%); for 1.5−4 years children ― bananas (29.5%), cereals, carrots and potatoes (19,5−24%); for 4−10 years children ― bananas, carrots and cereals (20−28%); for the senior children ― carrots (47.5%), bananas, cereals and tomatoes (30−36%). Chicken-specific IgE-positive response was minimal for all ages, and meat or poultry specific IgE were observed in 8−15% of patients. Conclusion. Different groups of food allergens provoke sensitization in children during their life. The range of food products with low allergenic activity remains constant in various ages. Age characteristics of IgE production requires differentiated diagnosis approach. 

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