Egg allergy

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Egg allergy

Egg allergy occurs in people of different ages. It can manifest itself by reactions of varying intensity. The insidiousness of it consists in the fact that not only eggs are dangerous for the patient, but also products containing them.

Causes of egg allergy

The cause of all allergic reactions is excessive activity of the immune system, which occurs in response to a specific substance - an allergen. During each contact with it, the body produces specific antibodies, which cause the development of certain symptoms.

In the case of an egg allergy, albumin is contained in egg white. After it enters the digestive tract, the immune system begins to produce antibodies to it, taking it for a harmful substance. The more albumin enters the body, the more antibodies will be produced.

Much less allergic is egg yolk, which is 50 times weaker in this respect than protein. An allergen is the substance it contains - vitellin, which is destroyed during long-term cooking.

Symptoms of an egg allergy

Symptoms of the disease appear most often immediately after eating eggs, but sometimes this happens after a while. Symptoms may be different, but the most characteristic symptoms are the following:

various itchy skin rashes;
gastrointestinal disturbances - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
sneezing and nasal congestion;
lacrimation;
cough;
swelling and redness of the oral mucosa.

In the most severe cases may occur:

bronchial asthma;
angioedema ;
drop in blood pressure;
fainting;
suffocation.

With particular attention it is necessary to treat those signs of pathology that appeared immediately, because they have a fast and unpredictable course. The severity of symptoms depends on the amount of allergen and the individual sensitivity of the organism to this substance.

Diagnostics

If there are characteristic symptoms, you should consult an allergist and undergo a prescribed examination. Allergy tests are carried out in the following ways:

Skin tests, consisting in the application to the skin of drugs containing allergens, and monitoring the appearance of the skin reaction.
An analysis of the patient's blood, which is distributed into test tubes, a different allergen is introduced into each of them, and then examined under a microscope. This allows you to detect specific antibodies and conclude that the body is sensitive to a specific allergen.

Egg allergy treatment

Treatment of all types of allergies begins with the elimination of contact with the substance causing it. At the same time, it is necessary to exclude from the diet not only eggs, but also the types of baking containing them, pasta, mayonnaise. You should not use products that include albumin, lysozyme, coagulants, emulsifiers, globulin, vitellin on the label.

A feature of egg allergy is the development of parallel intolerance to chicken and other poultry meat. This phenomenon, referred to as cross-allergy, is noted only in individual patients, but caution to meat products is required from all owners of increased sensitivity to eggs.

Quail eggs cause allergies much less often, but ovomukoid, which is in their composition and is a strong allergen, does not allow to completely exclude them from the list of forbidden products.

It should be borne in mind that people with egg allergy cannot be vaccinated against influenza and tick-borne encephalitis, since these vaccines are grown on chicken embryos.

In the presence of moderate allergic manifestations, antihistamines Suprastin, Claritin, Tavegil, and intravenous calcium chloride bring the effect.

In the presence of intense skin rashes, ointments and gels Prednisone, Fenistil, Dropalen are additionally used to relieve itching.

In case of gastrointestinal disorders enterosorbents are recommended. Together, all of these activities can quickly stop the symptoms of allergies and prevent complications.

Nutrition Tips

Since the ban covers many food groups, allergy sufferers have a fair question that they can be consumed without fear for their health. These products include lean meats, fish, legumes, mushrooms, vegetables, berries and fruits. Confectionery products made from soy or wheat flour without the use of eggs and egg powder, as well as chocolate are allowed.

It is better to cook pastries with your own hands, using recipes that exclude eggs. It is important to remember all foods that may contain an allergen, and not to use or limit them.

Features in children

In children, egg allergy is most common, and can occur in the very early infancy. Allergic reaction in babies makes itself felt mainly by skin rashes and functional disorders of some systems.

The main feature of the occurrence of this pathology in young patients is that in most cases, by five years, it passes on its own. Until that time, it is necessary to exclude from consumption not only foods containing eggs, but also children's creams and shampoos, which contain lecithin.

Caution is required when performing such children vaccinations, before which it is necessary to study the composition of the vaccine. Inattention threatens the immediate development of anaphylactic shock, as the allergen from the vaccine quickly enters the blood.

| 26 December 2014 | | 271 | Allergology