What is Egg Allergy ?
Egg allergy is one of the important food allergies in children worldwide. Egg allergy can occur as early in infancy. But most of the cases egg allergy resolved when the child grows into an adolescent.
Food allergy is immunologically mediated reaction to certain foods which occurs within minutes to hours after taking food. Even a small amount of food is sufficient to trigger allergy symptoms. In some individuals, a food allergy can cause severe allergy symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.
Hidden Sources of Egg
Though few cases it is seen the food labels as egg free are actually contain egg protein. If you are in doubt then contact the manufacturer.
Foods that may contain egg protein include:
Symptoms of Egg Allergy
Causes of Egg Allergy
In food allergy, our immune system recognizes food as a harmful substance and react against it leading to symptoms of food allergy.
In Egg Allergy, our immune system recognize egg as a harmful substance and react against it. After a sensitization phase, when egg is introduced for second time the body produces huge number of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to neutralize the protein (allergen) in egg. Cross linking reaction lead to degranulation of mast cell releasing large number of powerful chemical mediators including histamine and other chemicals leading to sign and symptoms of allergic inflammation.
Till date there is no ideal test for egg allergy. A physician should consider the following:
Treatment of Egg Allergy
Prevention of Egg Allergy
If you have food allergy, then follow these steps:
If your child has a food allergy, you must follow few steps to ensure your child is safe:
Common conditions that mimic food allergy include:
Read in-depth of Egg Allergy
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Avoidance of the offending food is the best way to prevent food allergy. One must know the causative food to which he is allergic. A person with food allergy must be cautious when eating in restaurants and in social events.
Food allergy is immunologically mediated reaction to certain foods which occurs within minutes to hours after taking food. Even a small amount of food is sufficient to trigger allergy symptoms. In some individuals, a food allergy can cause severe allergy symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.
Egg allergy is one of the important food allergy in children worldwide. Egg allergy can occur as early in infancy. But most of the cases egg allergy resolved when the child grows into adolescent.
Sometimes few people develop indigestion, gaseous distention of abdomen or diarrhea after taking some food but it may not be due to food allergy but another condition called food intolerance. This reaction is not immunologically mediated and it is less severe than allergy.
In Egg Allergy, our immune system recognize egg as a harmful substance and react against it. After a sensitization phase, when egg is introduced for second time the body produces huge number of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to neutralize the protein (allergen) in egg. Cross linking reaction lead to degranulation of mast cell releasing large number of powerful chemical mediators including histamine and other chemicals leading to sign and symptoms of allergic inflammation.
Few factors can increase the risk of developing egg allergy. These factors include:
Though few cases it is seen the food labels as egg free are actually contain egg protein. If you are in doubt then contact the manufacturer.
Foods that may contain egg protein include:
Following terms indicate that the product may contain egg proteins which are used during manufacturing process.
Another potential source of exposure to egg protein is cross-contamination in home-prepared dishes or meals, especially when you’re eating in other people’s homes.
Symptoms of egg allergy can ranges from mild allergic reaction to severe allergic reaction or even life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Usually, food allergy symptoms develop within a few minutes to two hours after eating the offending food.
The most common symptoms include:
In few individual, a egg allergy can cause anaphylaxis. Life-threatening signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency treatment. Emergency treatment with intramuscular epinephrine/adrenaline is crucial for the survival of patients. Anaphylaxis if untreated can lead to coma or even death.
Till date there is no ideal test for Egg allergy. A physician should consider the following:
Tell your physician /allergist, the symptoms you are experiencing. Inform him about the possible food items, eating of which lead to the start of your symptoms. Tell him when this symptoms start occurring, how much time the symptoms last and how you get relief.
Tell your physician whether other family members are suffering from any form of allergic disorders.
To find out any urticarial lesion in the body and to exclude other cause of similar symptoms.
A skin prick test using food allergen can be performed. Expertise in this regard is necessary to perform a skin test. A positive prick test only indicates sensitization. The result of the skin prick test is to be corroborated with the clinical finding of the patients.
To measure the allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).
This can be done by first eliminating the suspected food items for 2-4 weeks then reintroducing the food items one by one to see when the symptoms return back. However, an elimination diet cannot distinguish true food allergy from food sensitivity. Another thing one must be kept in mind that if a person is already experienced severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, one must not do an elimination diet as it may be disastrous.
Here the physician will give you a small but gradually increasing amount of egg or egg containing product to see whether the symptoms are occurring or not. One must be kept in mind that if a person is already experienced severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, one must not do oral food challenge test as it can be disastrous.
Avoidance is the best preventive measure. However, an individual may unknowingly come in contact with the food and lead to an allergic reaction.
For mild to moderate allergic reaction: over-the-counter or prescribed antihistamines are helpful.
For severe allergic reaction: If there is severe reaction or anaphylaxis one must inject adrenaline/ epinephrine in an appropriate dosage. If someone has adrenaline autoinjector then he can use it otherwise one has to attend the nearest hospital as early as possible. One must carry his adrenaline autoinjector all the time if an allergist prescribed it.
Avoidance of the offending food is the best way to prevent food allergy. One must know the causative food to which he is allergic. A person with a food allergy must be cautious when eating in a restaurant and in social events.
Avoidance of the offending food in the utmost importance in food allergy.
Limited use. Research needs to be conducted. Some people, however, claim few improvements of symptoms.
Common conditions that mimic food allergy include:
Though most of the cases egg allergy leads to a mild to moderate allergic reaction but severe allergic reaction in the form of anaphylaxis can occur requiring injection adrenaline / epinephrine.
An individual with egg allergy are at risk of developing others allergies including:
Many parents and family members are often asked whether vaccine can safely be given in egg allergy patients. It is true that vaccine like Yellow fever vaccine may trigger allergic reaction in patient with egg allergy but other vaccine are considered usually safe. Vaccine which has egg proteins must be given under medical supervision.
are considered generally safe for children with egg allergy, even though egg protein is present in the vaccine.
Influenza vaccine contain minute amount of egg protein but this vaccine is also recommended when patients indicated even in egg allergy.
usually not given in egg allergy patients. But can be given if indicated, under medical supervision after testing for a reaction.
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