title: Guidelines for the use and interpretation of diagnostic methods in adult food allergy.
abstract: Food allergy has an increasing prevalence in the general population and in Italy concerns 8 % of people with allergies. The spectrum of its clinical manifestations ranges from mild symptoms up to potentially fatal anaphylactic shock. A number of patients can be diagnosed easily by the use of first- and second-level procedures (history, skin tests and allergen specific IgE). Patients with complex presentation, such as multiple sensitizations and pollen-food syndromes, frequently require a third-level approach including molecular diagnostics, which enables the design of a component-resolved sensitization profile for each patient. The use of such techniques involves specialists' and experts' skills on the issue to appropriately meet the diagnostic and therapeutic needs of patients. Particularly, educational programs for allergists on the use and interpretation of molecular diagnostics are needed.
authors.affiliation: SS Allergology and Clinical Immunology, S. Giovanni di Dio Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Macchia
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU S. Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melioli
authors.affiliation: Allergology and Immunology Unit, IRCCS Ca' Granda, Osp. Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pravettoni
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Allergologia, Policlinico Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nucera
authors.affiliation: Allergology and Immunology Unit, IRCCS Ca' Granda, Osp. Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piantanida
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Verona University and General Hospital, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caminati
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campochiaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Mona-Rita
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Yacoub
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Allergologia, Policlinico Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schiavino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paganelli
authors.affiliation: Unit of Allergy and Immunotoxicology, CeSi, "G. d'Annunzio" University Foundation, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Gioacchino
keywords: Basophil activation test; Challenge test; Food allergy diagnosis; Molecular allergens; Molecular-based diagnosis; Skin prick test