Clinical Information

Clinical manifestations of immediate hypersensitivity (allergic) diseases are caused by the release of proinflammatory mediators (histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins) from IgE-sensitized effector cells (mast cells and basophils) when cell-bound IgE antibodies interact with allergen.

Allergy to egg represents one of the most common causes of food allergy, especially in children. The evaluation for egg-related IgE antibodies can identify up to 95% of individuals at risk for clinical allergic reactions.

The most clinically prevalent allergens in egg are found in the egg white, but egg yolk also contains clinically significant specific IgE-binding allergens. The allergenic egg proteins found in egg white include ovomucoid (Gal d 1), ovalbumin (Gal d 2), ovotransferrin (Gal d 3), and lysozyme (Gal d 4). Ovomucoid has been demonstrated to be the most clinically significant egg allergen, in part due to its heat and digestion resistance. In the yolk, the protein alpha-livetin (Gal d 5) is the major allergen and is involved in bird-egg syndrome.

Foods that may contain egg include salad dressings, breads, breaded foods, muffins, cakes, marshmallows, prepared soups and beverages, frostings, ice cream and sherbets, pie fillings, sausages, prepared meats, mayonnaise, coatings and breading for fried foods, and some sauces.

Sensitization to allergic reaction to inhaled egg-white allergens has been reported in egg-processing workers and bakers.

Certain vaccines grown on chick embryos may cause severe allergic reactions in patients when injected. Further development of vaccines, most of which are no longer grown on egg protein, seems to have decreased or even eliminated the risk.

There is cross-reactivity between chicken egg white and turkey, duck, goose, and gull egg whites.

In vitro serum testing for IgE antibodies provides an indication of the immune response to allergens that may be associated with allergic disease.