Food Hypersensitivity, Adverse Reactions to Foods & Food Avoidance Among Teenagers

This population-based cross-sectional study, funded by a UK government agency, aimed to establish the rate of sensitization to food allergens, reported food hypersensitivity, food avoidance and objectively assessed food hypersensitivity in 11- and 15-year-olds living on the Isle of Wight, UK. The researchers approached the teenagers via their schools, and a questionnaire completed by the parents and children formed the basis of capturing data to determine the prevalence of current reported food hypersensitivity and rates of food avoidance. This information was available on 775 individuals aged 11 years and 757 aged 15 years. (more…)

Characteristics Of Children Diagnosed With Food Allergies

children food allergies
A cross-sectional, descriptive, questionnaire-based survey was conducted in schools in Toulouse, France, to determine the prevalence of food allergies among children in school. The first goal of the survey was to estimate the prevalence of food allergies. The second goal was to determine the main characteristics of the allergies. The questionnaires (3500) were distributed in 150 classes in eight schools. The return rate was 77.6% (2716). (more…)

Multiple Antibiotic Allergy Syndrome| Penicilin Allergies

Patients (and many doctors) frequently use the term ‘allergy’ when referring to any adverse drug reaction, even one that has no features of an IgE-mediated allergy response. However, IgE-mediated allergy explains only about 10% of all adverse reactions to antigen antibody reactions from antibiotics. Patients who have experienced unexplained symptoms during treatment with two or more antibiotics are often said to have ‘multiple antibiotic allergy’; using this definition, the description can be applied to one patient in every 22. (more…)

Antibodies and the Immune Response - Human Immune System

antibodies immune response

B cells

The main function of B cells is to produce antibodies. Antibodies are complex molecules produced by the immune system in response to antigens. As mentioned previously, antigens are foreign proteins or glycoproteins (a sugar linked to a protein) that trigger the immune response. Every living cell produces several different proteins, each unique to its own cell type and species. The antibody produced against the antigen is entirely specific to that antigen. (more…)

Food Allergy Definition Terms

food allergy definition
It will be helpful for you to have some understanding of the terms that are currently being used by practitioners in the field of allergy so that you can understand the medical literature as you search for information on your child’s allergy. Understanding the terms will also pave the way for our discussion of why your child has allergies and what is happening in his or her body when an allergic reaction is occurring. (more…)

Antibodies in Food Sensitivity – IgG Antibody

antibody food sensitivity
It is common to find anti-food IgG antibodies circulating in blood, even in people who have no signs or history of adverse reactions to foods. In fact, some authorities think that an increase in anti-food IgG in some cases might be indicative of successful resolution of an IgE-mediated allergy. The subject of IgG-mediated food allergy is extremely complicated because of the nature of the antibody and the immunological reactions associated with it. The present knowledge about food allergy-associated IgG may be summarized as follows: (more…)