Peculiarities of egg allergy in children with bird protein sensitization

Background: Hen's egg is frequently implicated in food allergy in children. Sometimes this allergy is associated with bird protein sensitization. Objective: A study was conducted to establish the possible role of bird protein sensitization in the clinical picture and evolution of egg allergy in patients with both egg and bird sensitization. Methods: Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics and the results of allergic study of 27 patients with both egg and bird allergy were compared with those of a control group of 19 egg-allergic patients without bird protein sensitization. All patients were evaluated clinically each year during the 4 years subsequent to the beginning of the study or until clinical tolerance to egg was achieved. Results: Patients with bird sensitization had more frequent digestive and respiratory symptoms related to egg ingestion compared with the control group. At the end of follow-up, 15% of the bird sensitized patients and 58% of the controls tolerated egg. Egg yolk sensitization was the major sensitization in bird-sensitized patients. Conclusion: It is necessary to exclude sensitization to bird proteins in egg-allergic patients, mainly when they show respiratory or digestive symptoms after egg ingestion, the egg allergy persists over a long period of time or egg yolk sensitization is strong.