Sensitization profiles to peanut allergens in Belgium; cracking the code in infants, children and adults

Acta Clin Belg. 2016 Feb;71(1):32-7. doi: 10.1080/17843286.2015.1109170. Epub 2016 Feb 5.

Abstract

Objectives: Peanut allergy shows distinct clinical patterns that can be predicted by component resolved diagnosis. However, data about peanut sensitization profiles in populations with a broad age stratification are scarce.

Methods: Sera of 89 peanut allergic patients (age 1-70 years), 21 infants (<1 year) with atopic dermatitis (AD) sensitized to peanut, 24 age matched peanut-tolerant individuals with positive specific IgE (sIgE) to peanut and 15 healthy individuals were tested for sIgE reactivity to rAra h 1, rAra h 2, rAra h 3, rAra h 8, rAra h 9 and rBet v 1 (FEIA ImmunoCAP, Thermo Fisher Scientific).

Results: In infants with AD, Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3 enabled to explain 14/21 (67%) of peanut sensitizations. No sensitization to Ara h 8 or Bet v 1 was observed. Patients with generalized reactions were more frequently sensitized to Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3 compared to patients with an oral allergy syndrome (OAS) and peanut-tolerant patients. Sensitization to Ara h 8 was significantly more observed in patients with an OAS. Ara h 2 showed to be the best marker to distinguish patients with generalized reactions from patients with an OAS and/or peanut sensitized patients but tolerating the legume.

Conclusion: Sensitization to Ara h 1, Ara h 2 and Ara h 3 can have an early onset and is predominantly associated with a more severe outcome. Ara h 2 is the best marker of a generalized peanut allergy.

Keywords: Ara h 2; Component resolved diagnosis; Food allergy; Peanut allergy.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Allergens / immunology
  • Antigens, Plant / immunology
  • Arachis / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Peanut Hypersensitivity / epidemiology*
  • Peanut Hypersensitivity / immunology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Antigens, Plant