title: Special consideration is required for the component-resolved diagnosis of egg allergy in infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few reports regarding differences in reactivity to the major egg allergens according to children's age, although component-resolved diagnosis is gradually being used.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate differences in reactivity to major egg allergens among various age groups of children with egg allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with egg allergy were included. Egg allergy was defined as a convincing history of reproducible symptoms within 2 hours of egg consumption and an egg white-specific IgE level of at least 0.35 kUA/L. Patients were divided into 3 age groups: younger than 12 months (group A, 7 subjects), 12 to 23 months (group B, 8 subjects), and at least 24 months (group C, 12 subjects). Immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay investigated IgE reactivity toward ovalbumin, ovomucoid, and ovotransferrin in eggs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunoblotting analysis showed that all patients in group A reacted to ovalbumin, whereas reactions to other proteins were not detected. All patients in group B displayed a reaction to ovalbumin and ovomucoid. IgE binding to ovotransferrin was shown in 3 patients in group B. All patients in group C displayed reactivity to ovalbumin, 5 patients showed a reaction to ovomucoid, and 8 patients displayed a reaction to ovotransferrin. As a patient's age increased, specific IgE binding to ovalbumin and ovotransferrin increased (P = .011 and .004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IgE reactivity to egg allergens differs according to children's ages.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jihyun
authors: J
authors: Kim
authors: Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jeongok
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Mi-Ran
authors: MR
authors: Park
authors: Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Youngshin
authors: Y
authors: Han
authors: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Korea.
authors: Meeyong
authors: M
authors: Shin
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Environmental Health Center for Atopic Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address: snuhan@skku.edu.
authors: Kangmo
authors: K
authors: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003207:Conalbumin / Q000276:immunology*; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004531:Eggs / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology*; D010059:Ovomucin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D003207:Conalbumin; D010059:Ovomucin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin