Subject(s)
Arachis , Desensitization, Immunologic , Milk Hypersensitivity , Peanut Hypersensitivity , Sesamum , Humans , Animals , Sesamum/immunology , Arachis/immunology , Desensitization, Immunologic/methods , Peanut Hypersensitivity/therapy , Peanut Hypersensitivity/immunology , Milk Hypersensitivity/immunology , Milk Hypersensitivity/therapy , Female , Administration, Oral , Child , Milk/immunology , Male , Allergens/immunology , Allergens/administration & dosage , Child, Preschool , Cattle , AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Food allergies (FAs) are on the rise worldwide. A previous cross-sectional study from 2002 in Israel estimated the prevalence of IgE-mediated FA among young children at 0.85%. Although sesame was found to be a common allergen, peanuts were found to be a rare allergen. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and distributions of IgE-mediated FAs among young children in Israel compared with previous data. METHODS: A total of 1932 young children (56% males, 44% females) with a mean age of 22.4 months (range, 18-30 months) were sequentially recruited from 15 government family health care centers in north Israel. Parents completed a questionnaire with 2 screening questions for suspected FA. Subjects with suspected FA underwent further evaluation including telephone interview, skin prick tests, and oral food challenge as needed. RESULTS: After analyzing the questionnaires, 146 subjects were suspected to have FA. Seventy-nine subjects were excluded by telephone interview and 13 were excluded on the basis of negative oral food challenge. We identified 54 of 1932 (2.8%) young children with 75 IgE-mediated FAs. Thirty-nine of 54 (72.2%) had allergy to 1 food and 9 (16.6%) to 2 foods. The most common food allergens were cow's milk (1%), eggs (0.88%), sesame (0.93%), tree nuts (0.57%), peanuts (0.2%), and fish (0.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IgE-mediated FA among young children in Israel has increased dramatically from 0.85% to 2.8%. The relative prevalence of the most common food allergens is similar to that identified in 2002, with a high prevalence of sesame FA and low prevalence of peanut FA.
Subject(s)
Food Hypersensitivity , Sesamum , Allergens , Animals , Arachis , Child , Child, Preschool , Cross-Sectional Studies , Egg Hypersensitivity , Female , Fishes , Food Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Food Hypersensitivity/epidemiology , Humans , Immunoglobulin E , Infant , Israel/epidemiology , Male , Milk Hypersensitivity , Nut Hypersensitivity , Prevalence , Skin TestsABSTRACT
We describe an 8-month-old infant with infantile spasms treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) who presented with fatal Legionella pneumophila and Pneumocystis jirovecii infection. Emphasis is placed on the ensuing immunosuppression and infectious sequelae of ACTH therapy. Given that ACTH therapy may increase the risk of fatal infection, patients undergoing such treatment should be closely monitored, with particular attention paid to the functioning of the immune system.
