title: Screening for hen's egg and chicken meat specific IgE antibodies in Saudi patients with allergic disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergy to hen's egg and meat contributes significantly to the manifestations of food allergy all over the world.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to assess the presence of hen's egg and meat specific IgE antibodies among patients investigated for various allergic disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study performed at King Khalid University Hosptial, Riyadh. Data from 421 patients with allergic disorders screened for food specific IgE antibodies between January 2009 and March 2011 were analyzed. Sixty (14.25%) patients including 42 males and 18 females with the mean age (sd) of 7.5 (7.4) years were found to have specific IgE antibodies against hen's egg and chicken meat. There were 56 (93.3%) children and 4 (6.7%) adult patients. Specific IgE antibodies were measured by radioallergosorbent test (RAST) using Pharmacia ImmunoCAP 250 analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atopic dermatitis was the most common (55%) clinical condition. Out of the total 60 patients harboring hen's egg and chicken meat specific IgE antibodies high levels of egg white, yolk and chicken meat specific IgEs were detected in 58 (96.6%), 37 (61.6%) and 6 (10%) patients respectively. Both the egg white and yolk antibodies coexisted in 35 (58.3%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sensitization against hen's egg was higher compared to the chicken meat. Egg white sensitization higher than the egg yolk particularly in Saudi children with food related allergic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and University Hospitals, King Saud University.
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shakoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and University Hospitals, King Saud University.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almogren
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and University Hospitals, King Saud University.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and University Hospitals, King Saud University.
authors.forename: Waleed
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hasanato
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine and University Hospitals, King Saud University.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zahid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D011852:Radioallergosorbent Test; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012882:Skin Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Allergy; IgE antibodies; atopic dermatitis; chicken meat; hen's egg