Hypersensitivity to cow-milk proteins in children with allergic skin diseases
Drgonec, J.; Macková, M.; Zacskóová, J.
Bratislavske Lekarske Listy 56(4): 399-406
1971
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-9248 PMID: 5172112 Document Number: 42866
In a study of 199 children aged less than or equal to 2 yr with 4 types of allergic skin disease and 73 healthy controls aged less than or equal to 1 yr, the sera of the children were examined for antibodies to cows' milk. Tests used included the indirect basophil degranulation, complement fixation, passive haemagglutination, and agar gel immunodiffusion tests. 'Sunar' dried milk, casein, lactalbumin, and lactoglobulin, and in some cases raw whole milk were used as antigens. Antibodies could not be demonstrated immediately after birth, but were found in the 1st few months of life even in children without any clinical manifestations of allergic diseases. In the group with allergic skin diseases, incidence of antibodies was approx. the same in the 4 clinical types. The highest % of positive results was found with the passive haemagglutination test. There was no agreement between serological test results and clinical manifestations. It is concluded that none of the tests applied can be used for reliable detection of allergy to cows' milk or as a differential diagnostic criterion for different types of allergic disease.