Epidemiological study of food allergy in the town of constantine (Algeria)

The epidemiological study of food allergy was performed by a questionnaire at three centers of maternal and child health care in the town of Constantine. it involved 770 children aged between 0-3 years.

The study involved two different components: the first involves studying food allergy : symptomatology, age of onset of the disorder, confirmatory tests, atopic history of parents and type of feedings. The second part concerns the study of diet followed, the substitutes, tolerance to these products and the development of allergy.
The prevalence of food allergy has reached a cumulative rate of 7.14%.
The major allergen is cow's milk 47.45% 11.86% followed by eggs and finally the olive oil and strawberries (8.47%). The allergic reaction has been in the cow's milk, eggs and canned foods.
The most noticed clinical manifestations are : skin symptoms 57.14%, 46.42% digestive and respiratory symptôms 25%. The rate of anaphylaxis is 14.28%.
The family history represents a rate of 46.42%, mothers are more affected 28.57%.
Food allergy (especially cow's milk protein) usually appears during the first month of life 42.85% of cases, this rate reached 75% during the first 3 months.
Allergy is a health problem, particularly in the absence of care centers for allergic children.