Food allergy and hypersensitivity reactions in children and adults-A review. 2022

Sandra G Tedner, and Anna Asarnoj, and Helena Thulin, and Marit Westman, and Jon R Konradsen, and Caroline Nilsson
Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Adverse reactions after food intake are commonly reported and a cause of concern and anxiety that can lead to a very strict diet. The severity of the reaction can vary depending on the type of food and mechanism, and it is not always easy to disentangle different hypersensitivity diagnoses, which sometimes can exist simultaneously. After a carefully taken medical history, hypersensitivity to food can often be ruled out or suspected. The most common type of allergic reaction is immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy (prevalence 5-10%). Symptoms vary from mild itching, stomach pain, and rash to severe anaphylaxis. The definition of IgE-mediated food allergy is allergic symptoms combined with specific IgE-antibodies, and therefore only IgE-antibodies to suspected allergens should be analyzed. Nowadays, methods of molecular allergology can help with the diagnostic process. The most common allergens are milk and egg in infants, peanut and tree nuts in children, and fish and shellfish in adults. In young children, milk/egg allergy has a good chance to remit, making it important to follow up and reintroduce the food when possible. Other diseases triggered by food are non-IgE-mediated food allergy, for example, eosinophilic esophagitis, celiac disease, food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, and hypersensitivity to milk and biogenic amines. Some of the food hypersensitivities dominate in childhood, others are more common in adults. Interesting studies are ongoing regarding the possibilities of treating food hypersensitivity, such as through oral immunotherapy. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the most common types of food hypersensitivity reactions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007073 Immunoglobulin E An immunoglobulin associated with MAST CELLS. Overexpression has been associated with allergic hypersensitivity (HYPERSENSITIVITY, IMMEDIATE). IgE
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005502 Food Substances taken in by the body to provide nourishment. Foods
D005512 Food Hypersensitivity Gastrointestinal disturbances, skin eruptions, or shock due to allergic reactions to allergens in food. Allergy, Food,Food Allergy,Hypersensitivity, Food,Allergies, Food,Food Allergies,Food Hypersensitivities,Hypersensitivities, Food
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000485 Allergens Antigen-type substances that produce immediate hypersensitivity (HYPERSENSITIVITY, IMMEDIATE). Allergen
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D057765 Eosinophilic Esophagitis Chronic ESOPHAGITIS characterized by esophageal mucosal EOSINOPHILIA. It is diagnosed when an increase in EOSINOPHILS are present over the entire esophagus. The reflux symptoms fail to respond to PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS treatment, unlike in GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE. The symptoms are associated with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to food or inhalant allergens. Chronic Esophagitis, Eosinophilic,Esophagitis, Eosinophilic,Chronic Esophagitides, Eosinophilic,Eosinophilic Chronic Esophagitides,Eosinophilic Chronic Esophagitis,Eosinophilic Esophagitides,Esophagitides, Eosinophilic,Esophagitides, Eosinophilic Chronic,Esophagitis, Eosinophilic Chronic

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