Diagnosing IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to sesame by an immediate-reading contact test

摘要

Sesame allergy has been reported as increasingly frequent in both adults and children,1 in particular in Europe (2% to 4% of total food allergies).2 This phenomenon may be a result of the increased use of sesame in vegetarian dietary regimens and of the introduction of exotic foods.Most literature data concerning sesame allergy are reports of single cases or case series. In a series of 9 patients with hypersensitivity reactions to sesame seeds, Kanny et al3 described 2 patients who also had anaphylactic reactions to sesame oil. In these patients, an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity was diagnosed on the basis of positive responses to both skin prick tests (SPTs) with sesame seed flour and double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges.