Special consideration is required for the component-resolved diagnosis of egg allergy in infants

• Published in: Annals of allergy, asthma, & immunology Vol. 112; no. 1; pp. 53 - 57
• Main Authors: Kim, Jihyun, Lee, Jeongok, Park, Mi-Ran, Han, Youngshin, Shin, Meeyong, Ahn, Kangmo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Allergens - immunology; Allergy and Immunology; Child; Child, Preschool; Conalbumin - immunology; Egg Hypersensitivity - diagnosis; Eggs - adverse effects; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Infant; Male; Ovalbumin - immunology; Ovomucin - immunology
• ISSN: 1081-1206; 1534-4436; 1534-4436
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2013.09.010

There are few reports regarding differences in reactivity to the major egg allergens according to children's age, although component-resolved diagnosis is gradually being used. To investigate differences in reactivity to major egg allergens among various age groups of children with egg allergy. Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with egg allergy were included. Egg allergy was defined as a convincing history of reproducible symptoms within 2 hours of egg consumption and an egg white–specific IgE level of at least 0.35 kUA/L. Patients were divided into 3 age groups: younger than 12 months (group A, 7 subjects), 12 to 23 months (group B, 8 subjects), and at least 24 months (group C, 12 subjects). Immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay investigated IgE reactivity toward ovalbumin, ovomucoid, and ovotransferrin in eggs. Immunoblotting analysis showed that all patients in group A reacted to ovalbumin, whereas reactions to other proteins were not detected. All patients in group B displayed a reaction to ovalbumin and ovomucoid. IgE binding to ovotransferrin was shown in 3 patients in group B. All patients in group C displayed reactivity to ovalbumin, 5 patients showed a reaction to ovomucoid, and 8 patients displayed a reaction to ovotransferrin. As a patient's age increased, specific IgE binding to ovalbumin and ovotransferrin increased (P = .011 and .004). IgE reactivity to egg allergens differs according to children's ages.