Food Allergens

[摘要] While cutaneous testing for allergens has been of great aid in the study of the allergic disease, the tests not infrequently fail to identify the etiologic agent even when the case is manifestly allergic. Foods are less likely to give positive reactions than are pollens. Rowe (1) finds that frequently less than 50 per cent of those sensitive to a certain food give positive skin reaction to that food. Alexander (2) concludes that positive skin reactions are obtained in about 50 per cent of asthmatics. Several writers, including Schloss (3), O'Keefe (4), Spain (5), Eyermann (6), Dale and Thornburg (7), Rowe and Richet (8) have discussed the occurrence of specific food allergy in cases giving negative skin tests to these foods. Conversely it is a common observation that some foods, pollens and other allergens which give clear cut positive scratch or intradermal reactions do not cause allergic symptoms when the patient comes into contact with them through the normal channels.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）