الفهرس 
FOOD ALLERGYOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
T
he world-wide problem of fish allergy is not sufficiently evaluated in our country. We sought to screen for the frequency of fish sensitization in a group of Egyptian infants and children with different allergic manifestations in relation to their demographic and phenotypic data. We consecutively enrolled 90 allergic children from the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Unit, Children’s Hospital, Ain Shams University. The study measurements were performed in the same site during the period from 1/8/2008 to 31/7/2009. An informed consent was obtained from the parents or care-givers prior to enrollment.
Detailed history was taken for the duration and severity of symptoms, possible precipitating factors, response to treatment and family history of allergy. A clinical examination was conducted to verify the diagnosis and exclude other chronic illness. The study measurements included skin prick testing with a commercial fish extract, serum fish specific IgE and total IgE estimation.
The study revealed that 12 subjects (13.3%) were sensitized. There was no significant gender or age variation according to fish sensitization. We could not demonstrate a significant relation between fish sensitization and the family history of allergy although 10 (83.3%) of the fish sensitive children came from atopic families.
Fish sensitization in the studied sample could not be related to asthma severity or total IgE concentration. Only 5 children of the fish sensitive group (41.7%) gave a history suggestive of fish allergy but the relation between the sensitization rates and history was statistically significant taking in consideration that only 2 of the non-sensitized subjects (2.6%) gave such a history.
The fish sensitive children had bronchial asthma; 7 (58.3%) had moderate persistent asthma; three (25%) had mild persistent asthma and two (16.7%) had intermittent asthma with no significant difference between the three groups.
Thus, fish sensitization rates seem high in the Egyptian children. Skin prick and specific IgE testing aided by history are good screening tools to determine candidates for fish oral food challenging. Fish allergy can be associated with any clinical form of allergy and the causal relationship needs meticulous evaluation. Wider scale multicenter screening studies are needed to assess the prevalence of fish allergy and its clinical correlates in Egypt. A national registry should be set to outline the incidence of fish allergy in different locations of our country. We also need to raise the awareness of the health care workers and the public to fish allergy and its avoidance measures.