RESUMO
The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of intestinal microflora [Lactobacillus GG] in the development of food allergy in atopic patients. Sixty patients with atopic diseases due to food allergy [20 asthmatics, 20 with atopic skin diseases and 20 with allergic rhinitis] were examined for stool Lactobacillus GG and compared with 20 healthy controls. The results showed that atopic patients with food allergy in each group had a low stool Lactobacillus GG count as compared with the controls and there was an inverse correlation between stool Lactobacillus GG and both eosinophil count and serum IgE level in each group. It was concluded that there is a strong association between low Lactobacillus GG stool count and the occurrence of allergy in food allergic diseases