Week 11 - Food Allergies and Intolerances

Question 1

define food allergy

Answer 1

a consistent adverse immune response to the proteins in a food

Question 2

what are the two types of food allergies?

Answer 2

immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated reactions
Non-IgE mediated reactions

Question 3

what are IgE mediated reactions?

Answer 3

B cells in the immune system make special IgE antibodies

Question 4

what are non-IgE mediated reactions?

Answer 4

a reaction where other parts of the immune system react, causing symptoms, but does not involve IgE antibodies

Question 5

what is the dual-allergen exposure hypothesis?

Answer 5

exposure to food allergens through the skin can lead to allergy, while consumption of these foods at an early age may actually result in
tolerance

Question 6

what is the hygiene hypothesis?

Answer 6

cleaner and more sanitized environments, and their immune systems are shifting toward developing allergic responses to certain foods and away from fighting germs or infections

Question 7

how many adults in Canada self-report at least 1 food allergy?

Answer 7

7.5%

Question 8

what percentage of adults are estimated have food allergies in westernized countries?

Answer 8

3-4%

Question 9

what percentage of kids are estimated have food allergies in westernized countries?

Answer 9

6%

Question 10

what factors increase the risk of a food allergy?

Answer 10

age, family history, another food allergy, related medical conditions (asthma, eczema, hay fever)

Question 11

what is the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis?

Answer 11

positive double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge and patient history

Question 12

how are blood tests analyzed for food allergies?

Answer 12

blood is analyzed for food-specific IgE antibodies

Question 13

what are the classes of allergy responses in a blood test?

Answer 13

Class 1 to 2: low level of allergen sensitization and, often, with a low likelihood of a
clinical reaction

Class 3-5: higher degrees of sensitization and generally correlate with IgE-mediated
clinical reactions upon allergen exposure

Question 14

what are some treatments for food allergies?

Answer 14

avoidance, epi-pen, oral immunotherapy

Question 15

how does oral immunotherapy work?

Answer 15

patients start by consuming very small doses while supervised by a medical professional, then eat it at home for 1-4 weeks, then return to eat a bigger dose while supervised, then carry on with that dose for 6 months or so

Question 16

what is a food tolerance?

Answer 16

limited ability or inability to digest or absorb certain foods or their components