Immunotherapy in hen’s egg protein allergy

Abstract

Food allergy is a significant health issue, for which the standard treatment recommendation is the elimination diet of the trigger foods. Allergen immunotherapy for food allergies is considered a form of immunomodulatory treatment that involves regular exposure to increasing doses of food (ex.: egg, cow’s milk, peanuts) under the supervision of an allergist, with the aim to decrease reactivity, attenuate life-threatening allergic episodes and reduce frequent access to the emergency service. The major goal of immunotherapy is to achieve food tolerance after discontinuation of treatment. The clinical and immunological response is different depending on the route of administration, oral immunotherapy proving a higher rate of effectiveness compared to sublingual or epicutaneous administration, but also a higher frequency of adverse reactions. Current guidelines support clinicians with updated recommendations that provide management options for patients with severe IgE-mediated food allergies.