Food Allergy Flashcards
What is allergy?
A hypersensitivity reaction initiated by specific immunological mechanisms
What is sensitivity?
Normal response to a stimulus
What is hypersensitivity?
Abnormally strong response to a stimulus
What is sensitisation?
Production of IgE antibodies after repeated exposure to an allergen
What are the 14 major food allergens?
Celery Gluten Crustaceans Eggs Fish Lupin Milk Molluscs Mustard Nuts Peanuts Sesame seeds Soya Sulphur dioxide
What are the types of food allergy?
IgE mediated
Non IgE mediated
What is the onset of IgE mediated allergy?
Immediate
- 5-30 mins
What are the common foods triggering an IgE mediated allergy?
Milk Eggs Peanuts Nuts Fish Shellfish
What is the onset of non IgE mediated allergy?
Delayed
- hours to days
What are the common foods triggering a non IgE mediated allergy?
Milk
Soya
Wheat
What are the symptoms of IgE mediated allergy?
Urticaria Angioedema Cough Wheeze V+D
What are the symptoms of non IgE mediated allergy?
Multiple GI symptoms
- food refusal
- abdo pain
- loose stools
- constipation
What are the presentations of IgE mediated allergy?
Urticaria
Anaphylaxis
Food-associated exercise induced anaphylaxis
Pollen food syndrome
What is food-associated exercise induced anaphylaxis?
Food triggers anaphylaxis only if ingestion is followed within 2 hours by exercise
What is pollen food syndrome?
Pruritus and mild oedema confined to the oral cavity
What are the presentations of non IgE mediated allergy?
Proctocolitis
Enterocolitis
Eosinophilic oesophagitis
Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome
What is proctocolitis?
Passage of bright red blood in mucosy stool in otherwise asymptomatic infants
What is enterocolitis?
Multiple and varying GI symptoms including
- feed refusal
- persistent vomiting
- abdominal cramps
- loose stools
- constipation
What is eosinophilic oesophagitis?
Symptoms from oesophageal inflammation and scarring of feeding disorders, reflux symtpoms and food impaction
What is food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome?
Profuse vomiting leading to pallor, lethargy and shock
Primarily affects infants
How do you diagnose food allergy?
Medical history
Physical examination
Screening tests
Diagnosis verification
What are key points to ask in an allergy history?
Age of onset List of symptom causing foods Intercurrent illnesses All symptoms Severity of symptoms Timing of onset Duration of symptoms
What screening tests are done?
Skin prick tests
Elimation diets
Immunoassay
What is diagnosis verification?
Controlled oral food challenges
