Egg Allergy

Important food allergy in children

Starts early in life

Often resolved by school age

Symptoms:

atopic dermatitis, urticaria, asthma, anaphylaxis

Sensitization may predict atopic disease later in life

Prevalence: 1-2%

Boiled/heated egg may be tolerated

Doctor’s challenges

Is there a risk for severe reactions?

Could the patient tolerate cooked egg?

Is the allergy likely to be persistent?

How should the patient best be managed?

Who needs strict avoidance?

Who needs emergency medication?

Common clinical practice

Egg white components

Main egg allergen components

Ovomucoid – Gal d 1

Ovalbumin – Gal d 2

Ovotransferrin – Gal d 3

Lysozyme – Gal d 4

Ovomucoid – Gal d 1

The dominant egg white component

11 % of egg white content

Highly allergenic

Stable to heat and enzymatic digestion

Ovomucoid and tolerance

Boiled egg may be tolerated if Ovomucoid-IgE levels are low

Persistent egg allergy is seen in patients with high Ovomucoid-IgE levels

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