Skin testing with food allergens. Guideline of the German Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the Physicians' Association of German Allergologists (ADA) and the Society of Pediatric Allergology (GPA) together with the Swiss Society of Allergology.
Skin testing has a central role in the diagnosis of food allergy. Prick testing is well- established as a routine diagnostic tool. Nonetheless, unstable allergens and the lack of standardized extracts create difficulties in the identification of sensitization to foods in patients with suspected food allergy. Therefore prick-to-prick tests with native (raw, fresh) foods are still recommended. The indications and contraindications are the same as those of routine skin testing in clinical allergology. We recommend a careful and restricted application of skin tests in patients with a history of severe anaphylaxis to foods.
Henzgen
Margot
M
Department of Internal Medicine, Pneumology and Allergology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07740 Jena, Germany. Margot.Henzgen@med.uni-jena.de
Ballmer-Weber
Barbara K
BK
Erdmann
Stephan
S
Fuchs
Thomas
T
Kleine-Tebbe
Jörg
J
Lepp
Ute
U
Niggemann
Bodo
B
Raithel
Martin
M
Reese
Imke
I
Saloga
Joachim
J
Vieths
Stefan
S
Zuberbier
Torsten
T
Werfel
Thomas
T
D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D000486:Allergy and Immunology / Q000592:standards*; D003880:Dermatology / Q000592:standards*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000592:standards*; D013557:Switzerland
D000485:Allergens