EARLY SENSITIZATION TO AIRBORNE ALLERGENS

We report the case of a 7-month-old child with failure to thrive. Celiac disease was suspected because of highly raised antigliadin IgA and IgG antibodies and subtotal villous atrophy. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells cellular proliferation was found in response to birch pollen, rye pollen and hazelnut extract. Born in June 1992 the infant had not yet experienced a birch pollen season. He had been fed with birch pollen allergy-associated carrot, apple and potato beginning at 6 weeks of life. In the serum, specific IgG, IgM and IgA to birch pollen and profilin, rye pollen and hazelnut antigens were detectable, indicating possible in utero sensitization or T cell cross-reactivity due to early sensitization with related food antigens.