FOOD-ELICITED ALLERGY SYMPTOMS OUTSIDE THE GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT.

This article presents information on food-elicited allergy symptoms outside the gastro-intestinal tract. Skin symptoms of allergy caused by food can be elicited by direct contact or by the transport of allergic food molecules via the blood stream from the gastrointestinal tract. In the former situation erythema and urticaria are the most common symptoms, in the latter the symptoms may vary from acute urticaria to a worsening of an eczema or more rarely vasculitis. In severely atopy-prone infants eczema can have its onset already while the infant is on the breast. The small amounts of cow's milk or egg transferred to the infant through breast milk may elicit and maintain a widespread eczema. Such an allergy can be demonstrated by skin prick test or by in vitro test.