Gastrointestinal food allergy in Ghanaian children: a case series

• DOI: 10.4314/gmj.v51i3.7
• Publication Date: 2017-10-13T13:35:20Z
• Authors: Taiba J. Afaa; Adwoa K. A. Afrane; Victor Etwire
• Keywords: Food hypersensitivity

Background: Food allergy is an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly on exposure to given food. allergies are classified into three types: Ig(immunoglobulin)E mediated, mixed IgE and cell mediated cell-mediated non mediated. Gastrointestinal (GIT) food has classicallyencompassed number of different clinical entities: protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), proctocolitis (FPIP), enteropathy eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGID).Case presentations: These 5 cases infants toddlers who presented with various features allergies, the commonest which lower bleed. Two exclusive breast feeding, bleeding these resolved maternal dietary milk all dairy elimination. The third infant had rectal at age 6 months after introduction formula. eczema hydrolyzed One severe malnutrition improved last case massive bleed resulted in hemicolectomy no improvement until elimination was instituted.Conclusion: not uncommon children Ghana. A high index suspicion required make right diagnosis, minimize morbidity unnecessary therapy.Keywords: allergy, infant, children, gastrointestinal, bleeding.Source funding: None