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Scientists are developing a treatment for egg allergy

Category: Allergy Testing

Eggs are one of the most common triggers of food allergies. While some children outgrow this condition by the age of 5, others have problems into adulthood. A lab test can help determine whether this food is safe for an individual to eat.

Recently, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine announced the results of a study in which they tested a new treatment strategy for egg allergy. Their experiment included 55 individuals aged 5 to 18 years. Every day for two years, they either consumed a placebo or egg powder mixed into their food. The amount of powder they ate was the equivalent of one-third of an egg.

At the 10-month, 22-month and 24-month marks, the subjects underwent food challenges in which they ate enough food powder to equal almost a whole egg. None of the children who ate the placebo were able to handle the challenge without symptoms, but over time, more and more individuals who ate the egg powder improved their tolerance. Ultimately, 28 percent of them were able to add actual eggs to their diet.

However, the researchers warn that further research is needed before this treatment strategy becomes adopted more widely.

Meanwhile, adults who wonder about whether their childhood allergies to eggs are still present can take a lab test to make sure.