SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION 1107 1.1. Overview 1107 1.2. Relationship of the US Guidelines to other guidelines 1107 1.3. How the Guidelines were developed 1108 1.3.1. The Coordinating Committee 1108 1.3.2. The Expert Panel 1108 1.3.3. The independent, systematic literature review and report 1108 1.3.4. Assessing the quality of the body of evidence 1108 1.3.5. Preparation of the draft Guidelines and Expert Panel deliberations 1108 1.3.6. Public comment period and draft Guidelines revision 1108 1.4. Defining the strength of each clinical guideline 1108 1.5. Summary 1108 SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS, PREVALENCE, AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF FOOD ALLERGY 1108 2.1. Definitions 1108 2.1.1. Definitions of food allergy, food, and food allergens 1108 2.1.2. Definitions of related terms 1109 2.1.3. Definitions of specific food-induced allergic conditions 1109 2.2. Prevalence and epidemiology of food allergy 1109 2.2.1. Systematic reviews of the prevalence of food allergy 1109 2.2.2. Prevalence of allergy to specific foods, food-induced anaphylaxis, and food allergy with comorbid conditions 1109 SECTION 3. NATURAL HISTORY OF FOOD ALLERGY AND ASSOCIATED DISORDERS 1110 3.1. Natural history of food allergy in children 1110 3.2. Natural history of levels of allergen-specific IgE to foods in children 1110 3.3. Natural history of food allergy in adults 1110 3.4. Natural history of conditions that coexist with food allergy 1110 3.4.1. Asthma 1110 3.4.2. Atopic dermatitis 1110 3.4.3. Eosinophilic esophagitis 1110 3.4.4. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis 1110 3.5. Risk factors for the development of food allergy 1110 3.6. Risk factors for severity of allergic reactions to foods 1110 3.7. Incidence, prevalence, and consequences of unintentional exposure to food allergens 1110 SECTION 4. DIAGNOSIS OF FOOD ALLERGY 1110 4.1. When should food allergy be suspected? 1111 4.2. Diagnosis of IgE-mediated food allergy 1111 4.2.1. Medical history and physical examination 1111 4.2.2. Methods to identify the causative food 1111 4.2.2.1. Skin prick test 1111 4.2.2.2. Intradermal tests 1111 4.2.2.3. Total serum IgE 1111 4.2.2.4. Allergen-specific serum IgE 1111 4.2.2.5. Atopy patch test 1111 4.2.2.6. Use of skin prick tests, sIgE tests, and atopy patch tests in combination 1111 4.2.2.7. Food elimination diets 1111 4.2.2.8. Oral food challenges 1111 4.2.2.9. Nonstandardized and unproven procedures 1112 4.3. Diagnosis of non-IgE-mediated immunologic adverse reactions to food 1112 4.3.1. Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases 1112 4.3.2. Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome 1112 4.3.3. Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis 1112 4.3.4. Food protein-induced enteropathy syndrome 1112 4.3.5. Allergic contact dermatitis 1112 4.3.6. Systemic contact dermatitis 1112 4.4. Diagnosis of IgE-mediated contact urticaria 1112 SECTION 5. MANAGEMENT OF NONACUTE ALLERGIC REACTIONS AND PREVENTION OF FOOD ALLERGY 1112 5.1. Management of individuals with food allergy 1112 5.1.1. Dietary avoidance of specific allergens in IgE-mediated food allergy 1112 5.1.2. Dietary avoidance of specific allergens in non-IgE-mediated food allergy 1112 5.1.3. Effects of dietary avoidance on associated and comorbid conditions, such as atopic dermatitis, asthma, and eosinophilic esophagitis 1112 5.1.4. Food avoidance and nutritional status 1112 5.1.5. Food labeling in food allergy management 1112 5.1.6. When to re-evaluate patients with food allergy 1112 5.1.7. Pharmacologic intervention for the prevention of food-induced allergic reactions 1112 5.1.7.1. IgE-mediated reactions 1112 5.1.7.2. Non-IgE-mediated reactions 1112 5.1.8. Pharmacologic intervention for the treatment of food-induced allergic reactions 1113 5.1.9. Immunotherapy for food allergy management 1113 5.1.9.1. Allergen-specific immunotherapy 1113 5.1.9.2. Immunotherapy with cross-reactive allergens 1113 5.1.10. Quality-of-life issues associated with food allergy 1113 5.1.11. Vaccinations in patients with egg allergy 1113 5.1.11.1. Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine 1113 5.1.11.2. Influenza vaccine 1113 5.1.11.3. Yellow fever vaccine 1113 5.1.11.4. Rabies vaccines 1113 5.2. Management of individuals at risk for food allergy 1113 5.2.1. Nonfood allergen avoidance in at-risk patients 1113 5.2.2. Dietary avoidance of foods with cross-reactivities in at-risk patients 1113 5.2.3. Testing of allergenic foods in patients at high risk prior to introduction 1113 5.2.4. Testing in infants and children with persistent atopic dermatitis 1114 5.3. Prevention of food allergy 1114 5.3.1. Maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation 1114 5.3.2. Breast-feeding 1114 5.3.3. Special diets in infants and young children 1114 5.3.3.1. Soy infant formula versus cow's milk formula 1114 5.3.3.2. Hydrolyzed infant formulas versus cow's milk formula or breast-feeding 1114 5.3.4. Timing of introduction of allergenic foods to infants 1114 SECTION 6. DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF FOOD-INDUCED ANAPHYLAXIS AND OTHER ACUTE ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO FOODS 1114 6.1. Definition of anaphylaxis 1114 6.2. Diagnosis of acute, life-threatening, food-induced allergic reactions 1114 6.3. Treatment of acute, life-threatening, food-induced allergic reactions 1114 6.3.1. First-line and adjuvant treatment for food-induced anaphylaxis 1114 6.3.2. Treatment of refractory anaphylaxis 1116 6.3.3. Possible risks of acute therapy for anaphylaxis 1116 6.3.4. Treatment to prevent biphasic or protracted food-induced allergic reactions 1116 6.3.5. Management of milder, acute food-induced allergic reactions in health care settings 1116 6.4. Management of food-induced anaphylaxis 1116 APPENDIX A. PRIMARY AUTHOR AFFILIATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1116 APPENDIX B. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 1118 ∗Some numbered sections found in the Guidelines are not included in this Summary because they do not include a guideline recommendation or an “In summary” statement, or because the detailed information in the section was not suitable for a concise Summary. Food allergy (FA) is an important public health problem that affects adults and children and may be increasing in prevalence. Despite the risk of severe allergic reactions and even death, there is no current treatment for FA: the disease can only be managed by allergen avoidance or treatment of symptoms. Moreover, the diagnosis of FA may be problematic, given that nonallergic food reactions, such as food intolerance, are frequently confused with FAs. Additional concerns relate to the differences in the diagnosis and management of FA in different clinical practice settings. Due to these concerns, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, working with more than 30 professional organizations, federal agencies, and patient advocacy groups, led the development of “best practice” clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of FA (henceforth referred to as the Guidelines).1Boyce J.A. Assa'ad A. Burks W.A. Jones S.M. Sampson H.A. Wood R.A. et al.Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010; 126: S1-S58PubMed Google Scholar Based on a comprehensive review and objective evaluation of the recent scientific and clinical literature on FA, the Guidelines were developed by and designed for allergists/immunologists, clinical researchers, and practitioners in the areas of pediatrics, family medicine, internal medicine, dermatology, gastroenterology, emergency medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, and others. The Guidelines focus on diseases that are defined as FA (see section 2.1) and include both IgE-mediated reactions to food and some non-IgE-mediated reactions to food. The Guidelines do not discuss celiac disease, which is an immunologic non-IgE-mediated reaction to certain foods. Although this is an immune-based disease involving food, existing clinical guidelines for celiac disease will not be restated here. Finally, these Guidelines do not address the management of patients with FA outside of clinical care settings (for example, schools and restaurants) or the related public health policy issues. These issues are beyond the scope of this document. (Not summarized here; refer to Guidelines.) NIAID established a Coordinating Committee (CC), whose members are listed in Appendix A of the Guidelines, to oversee the development of the Guidelines; review drafts of the Guidelines for accuracy, practicality, clarity, and broad utility of the recommendations in clinical practice; review the final Guidelines; and disseminate the Guidelines. The CC members were from 34 professional organizations, advocacy groups, and federal agencies, and each member was vetted for financial conflict of interest (COI) by NIAID staff. The CC convened an Expert Panel (EP) in March 2009 that was chaired by Joshua Boyce, MD (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass). Panel members were specialists from a variety of relevant clinical, scientific, and public health areas (see Acknowledgments). Each member was vetted for financial COI by NIAID staff and approved by the CC. The charge to the EP was to use an independent, systematic literature review, in conjunction with consensus expert opinion and EP-identified supplementary documents, to develop Guidelines that provide a comprehensive approach for diagnosing and managing FA based on the current state of the science. RAND Corporation prepared an independent, systematic literature review and evidence report on the state of the science in FA. This work was supported by an NIAID contract awarded in September 2008. The contract's principal investigator was Paul G. Shekelle, MD, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in the fields of practice guidelines and meta-analysis. RAND screened more than 12,300 titles, reviewed more than 1,200 articles, abstracted nearly 900 articles, and included 348 articles in the final RAND report. The full version of the report with a complete list of references is available at http://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WR757-1/. In addition to assessing the quality of each of the included studies, RAND assessed the quality of the body of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, which was developed in 2004. GRADE provides a comprehensive and transparent methodology to develop recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients. In assessing the body of evidence, GRADE considers study design and other factors, such as the precision, consistency, and directness of the data. Using this approach, GRADE then provides a grade of high, moderate, or low for the quality of the body of evidence. All 43 clinical recommendations drafted by the EP received 90% (or higher) agreement. Sections Section 3, Section 5, Section 6 of the Guidelines also contain “In summary” statements. These statements are intended to provide health care professionals with significant information that did not warrant a recommendation, or are in place of a recommendation when the EP or the CC could not reach consensus. All “In summary” statements received 90% (or higher) agreement. The draft Guidelines were posted to the NIAID Web site in March 2010 for a period of 60 days to allow for public review and comment. More than 550 comments were collected and reviewed by the CC, the EP, and NIAID. The EP revised the Guidelines in response to some of these comments. The final Guidelines were published in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and are publically available at www.jacionline.org. The EP has used the verb “recommends” or “suggests” in each clinical guideline. These words convey the strength of the guideline, defined as follows:•Recommend is used when the EP strongly recommended for or against a particular course of action.•Suggest is used when the EP weakly recommended for or against a particular course of action. The Guidelines are intended to assist health care professionals in making appropriate decisions about patient care in the United States. The recommendations are not fixed protocols that must be followed. Health care professionals should take these Guidelines into account when exercising their clinical judgment. However, this guidance does not override their responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient, guardian, or caregiver. Clinical judgment on the management of individual patients remains paramount. Health care professionals, patients, and their families need to develop individual treatment plans that are tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of the patient. This document is intended as a resource to guide clinical practice and develop educational materials for patients, their families, and the public. It is not an official regulatory document of any government agency. The EP came to consensus on definitions used throughout the Guidelines. A food allergy is defined as an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food. A food is defined as any substance—whether processed, semiprocessed, or raw—that is intended for human consumption, and includes drinks, chewing gum, food additives, and dietary supplements. Substances used only as drugs, tobacco products, and cosmetics (such as lip-care products) that may be ingested are not included. Food allergens are defined as those specific components of food or ingredients within food (typically proteins, but sometimes also chemical haptens) that are recognized by allergen-specific immune cells and elicit specific immunologic reactions, resulting in characteristic symptoms. Some allergens (most often from fruits and vegetables) cause allergic reactions primarily if eaten when raw. However, most food allergens can still cause reactions even after they have been cooked or have undergone digestion in the stomach and intestines. A phenomenon called cross-reactivity may occur when an antibody reacts not only with the original allergen, but also with a similar allergen. In FA, cross-reactivity occurs when a food allergen shares structural or sequence similarity with a different food allergen or aeroallergen, which may then trigger an adverse reaction similar to that triggered by the original food allergen. Cross-reactivity is common, for example, among different shellfish and different tree nuts. Food oils—such as soy, corn, peanut, and sesame—range from very low allergenicity (if virtually all of the food protein is removed in processing) to very high allergenicity (if little of the food protein is removed in processing). Because individuals can develop allergic sensitization (as evidenced by the presence of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE)) to food allergens without having clinical symptoms on exposure to those foods, an sIgE-mediated FA requires both the presence of sensitization and the development of specific signs and symptoms on exposure to that food. Sensitization alone is not sufficient to define FA. These Guidelines generally use the term tolerate to denote a condition where an individual has either naturally outgrown an FA or has received therapy and no longer develops clinical symptoms following ingestion of the food. This ability to tolerate food does not distinguish between these 2 possible clinical states. Individuals may tolerate food only for a short term, perhaps because they have been desensitized by exposure to the food. Alternatively, they may develop long-term tolerance. The specific term tolerance is used in these Guidelines to mean that an individual is symptom free after consumption of the food or upon oral food challenge weeks, months, or even years after the cessation of treatment. The immunological mechanisms that underlie tolerance in humans are poorly understood. Although many different foods and food components have been recognized as food allergens, these Guidelines focus on only those foods that are responsible for the majority of observed adverse allergic or immunologic reactions. Moreover, foods or food components that elicit reproducible adverse reactions but do not have established or likely immunologic mechanisms are not considered food allergens. Instead, these non-immunologic adverse reactions are termed food intolerances. For example, an individual may be allergic to cow's milk (henceforth referred to as milk) due to an immunologic response to milk protein, or alternatively, that individual may be intolerant to milk due to an inability to digest the sugar lactose. In the former situation, milk protein is considered an allergen because it triggers an adverse immunologic reaction. Inability to digest lactose leads to excess fluid production in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, resulting in abdominal pain and diarrhea. This condition is termed lactose intolerance, and lactose is not an allergen because the response is not immune based. It should be noted that the words tolerance and intolerance are unrelated terms, even though the spelling of the words implies that they are opposites. The reader is referred to the Guidelines for the definitions of the following:•Food-induced anaphylaxis•GI food allergies and several specific syndromes–Immediate GI hypersensitivity–Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)–Eosinophilic gastroenteritis–Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (AP)–Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES)–Oral allergy syndrome (OAS)•Cutaneous reactions to foods–Acute urticaria–Angioedema–The increase in atopic dermatitis (AD) symptoms–Allergic contact dermatitis–Contact urticaria•Respiratory manifestations•Heiner syndrome The true prevalence of FA has been difficult to establish for several reasons.•Although more than 170 foods have been reported to cause IgE-mediated reactions, most prevalence studies have focused on only the most common foods.•The incidence and prevalence of FA may have changed over time, and many studies have indeed suggested a true rise in prevalence over the past 10 to 20 years.•Studies of FA incidence, prevalence, and natural history are difficult to compare because of inconsistencies and deficiencies in study design and variations in the definition of FA. (Not summarized here; refer to Guidelines.) The following is a summary of prevalence data for the most common food allergies and anaphylaxis: Peanut•Prevalence of peanut allergy in the United States is about 0.6% of the population.•Prevalence of peanut allergy in France, Germany, Israel, Sweden, and the United Kingdom varies between 0.06% and 5.9%. Tree nuts•Prevalence of tree nut allergy in the United States is 0.4% to 0.5% of the population.•Prevalence of tree nut allergy in France, Germany, Israel, Sweden, and the United Kingdom varies between 0.03% and 8.5%. Seafood•Prevalence rates in the United States are significantly lower for children than for adults: fish allergy, 0.2% for children vs 0.5% for adults; crustacean shellfish allergy, 0.5% vs 2.5%; any seafood allergy, 0.6% vs 2.8%.•Prevalence rates in the United States are higher for women than for men: crustacean shellfish allergy, 2.6% for women vs 1.5% for men; any fish, 0.6% vs 0.2%. Milk and hen's egg•In a Danish cohort, allergy to milk was confirmed in 2.2%. Of these, 54% had IgE-mediated allergy, and the remaining 46% were classified as non-IgE mediated.•In a Norwegian cohort, the prevalence of hen's egg (henceforth referred to as egg) allergy was estimated to be 1.6%, and most egg reactions were IgE mediated. Food-induced anaphylaxis•Several studies in the United States assessed the incidence of anaphylaxis related to food. These studies found wide differences in the rates (from 1/100,000 population to as high as 70/100,000 population) of hospitalization or emergency department visits for anaphylaxis, as assessed by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes or medical record review.•The proportion of anaphylaxis cases thought to be due to foods also varied between 13% and 65%, with the lowest percentages found in studies that used more stringent diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis. The EP agreed that any estimate of the overall US incidence of anaphylaxis is unlikely to have utility because such an estimate fails to reflect the substantial variability in patient age, geographic distribution, criteria used to diagnose anaphylaxis, and the study methods used. The EP reviewed the literature on the natural history of FA and summarized the available data for the most common food allergens in the United States: egg, milk, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, crustacean shellfish, and soy. Natural history data for fish allergy were unavailable as of the completion of the systematic literature review (September 2009). It should be noted that many published studies addressing the natural history of FA typically come from selected populations (for example, from a single clinic or hospital) that may not be representative of the general or community-based patient population with a specific FA condition. Thus, the findings of these studies may not necessarily be extrapolated to all patients with the condition. In summary: Most children with FA eventually will tolerate milk, egg, soy, and wheat; far fewer will eventually tolerate tree nuts and peanut. The time course of FA resolution in children varies by food and may occur as late as the teenage years. A high initial level of sIgE against a food is associated with a lower rate of resolution of clinical allergy over time. In summary: For many patients, sIgE antibodies to foods appear within the first 2 years of life. Levels may increase or decrease; a decrease is often associated with the ability to tolerate the foods. In summary: FA in adults can reflect persistence of pediatric FAs (for example, milk, peanut, and tree nuts) or de novo sensitization to food allergens encountered after childhood. Although there is a paucity of data from US studies, FA that starts in adult life tends to persist. In summary: FA may coexist with asthma, AD, EoE, and exercise-induced anaphylaxis. In patients with asthma, the coexistence of FA may be a risk factor for severe asthma exacerbations. Moreover, food may be a trigger for exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Elimination of food allergens in sensitized individuals can improve symptoms of some comorbid conditions. In summary: Asthma and FA often coexist in pediatric and adult patients. FA is associated with severe asthma. In summary: AD and FA are highly associated. When tolerance develops to a food, the reintroduction of the food in the diet will not result in recurrence or worsening of the AD. In summary: EoE is commonly associated with sensitization to foods. The natural history of EoE is that of a chronic condition that resolves spontaneously or with therapy, and then relapses. There are insufficient data to judge the impact of food sensitization on the natural history of EoE, and vice versa. Only retrospective data exist that support a beneficial effect of dietary changes on the histopathologic changes in the esophagus in EoE. In summary: Exercise-induced anaphylaxis in adults is triggered by foods in about one third of patients and has a natural history marked by frequent recurrence of the episodes. In summary: Family history of atopy and the presence of AD are risk factors for the development of both sensitization to food and confirmed FA. In summary: The severity of allergic reactions to foods is multifactorial and variable. The severity of a reaction cannot be accurately predicted by the degree of severity of past reactions nor by the level of sIgE or the size of the wheal from the skin prick test (SPT). The factor most commonly identified with the most severe reactions is the coexistence of asthma. In summary: Self-reported reactions to food frequently occur in patients with a known diagnosis of FA. Although a subset of these reactions is due to intentional exposure, most are due to unintentional exposure. Both types of exposure can be life-threatening. There is no evidence that unintentional or intentional exposures to the food allergen alter the natural history of the FA. Guideline 1: The EP recommends that FA should be considered:•In individuals presenting with anaphylaxis or any combination of symptoms listed in Table I that occur within minutes to hours of ingesting food, especially in young children and/or if symptoms have followed the ingestion of a specific food on more than 1 occasionTable ISymptoms of food-induced allergic reactionsTarget organImmediate symptomsDelayed symptomsCutaneousErythemaPruritusUrticariaMorbilliform eruptionAngioedemaErythemaFlushingPruritusMorbilliform eruptionAngioedemaEczematous rashOcularPruritusConjunctival erythemaTearingPeriorbital edemaPruritusConjunctival erythemaTearingPeriorbital edemaUpper respiratoryNasal congestionPruritusRhinorrheaSneezingLaryngeal edemaHoarsenessDry staccato coughLower respiratoryCoughChest tightnessDyspneaWheezingIntercostal retractionsAccessory muscle useCough, dyspnea, and wheezingGI (oral)Angioedema of the lips, tongue, or palateOral pruritusTongue swellingGI (lower)NauseaColicky abdominal painRefluxVomitingDiarrheaNauseaAbdominal painRefluxVomitingDiarrheaHematocheziaIrritability and food refusal with weight loss (young children)CardiovascularTachycardia (occasionally bradycardia in anaphylaxis)HypotensionDizzinessFaintingLoss of consciousnessMiscellaneousUterine contractionsSense of “impending doom”GI, Gastrointestinal.Note: This table is presented as Table IV in the Guidelines. Open table in a new tab •In infants, young children, and selected older children diagnosed with certain disorders, such as moderate to severe AD, EoE, enterocolitis, enteropathy, and allergic proctocolitis•In adults diagnosed with EoE GI, Gastrointestinal. Note: This table is presented as Table IV in the Guidelines. Guideline 2: The EP recommends using medical history and physical examination to aid in the diagnosis of FA.•Medical history: The EP recommends using a detailed medical history to help focus the evaluation of an FA. Although the medical history often provides evidence for the type of food-induced allergic reaction and the potential causative food(s) involved, history alone cannot be considered diagnostic of FA.•Physical examination: The EP recommends performing a focused physical examination of the patient, which may provide signs consistent with an allergic reaction or disorder often associated with FA. However, by itself, the physical examination cannot be considered diagnostic of FA. Guideline 3: The EP recommends that parent and patient reports of FA must be confirmed, because multiple studies demonstrate that 50% to 90% of presumed FAs are not allergies. Guideline 4: The EP recommends performing an SPT (also known as a skin puncture test) to assist in the identification of foods that may be provoking IgE-mediated food-induced allergic reactions, but the SPT alone cannot be considered diagnostic of FA. Guideline 5: The EP recommends that intradermal testing should not be used to make a diagnosis of FA. Guideline 6: The EP recommends that the routine use of measuring total serum IgE should not be used to make a diagnosis of FA. Guideline 7: The EP recommends sIgE tests for identifying foods that potentially provoke IgE-mediated food-induced allergic reactions, but alone these tests are not diagnostic of FA. Guideline 8: The EP suggests that the atopy patch test (APT) should not be used in the routine evaluation of non-contact FA. Guideline 9: The EP suggests not using the combination of SPTs, sIgE tests, and APTs for the routine diagnosis of FA. Guideline 10: The EP suggests that elimination of 1 or a few specific foods from the diet may be useful in the diagnosis of FA, especially in identifying foods responsible for some non-IgE-mediated food-induced allergic disorders, such as FPIES, AP, and Heiner syndrome, and some mixed IgE- and non-IgE-mediated food-induced allergic disorders, such as EoE. Guideline 11: The EP recommends using oral food challenges for diagnosing FA. The double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge is the gold standard. However, a single-blind or an open-food challenge may be considered diagnostic under certain circumstances: if either of these challenges elicits no symptoms (ie, the challenge is negative), then FA can be ruled out; but when either challenge elicits objective symptoms (ie, the challenge is positive) and those objective symptoms correlate with medical history and are supported by laboratory tests, then a diagnosis of FA is supported. Guideline 12: The EP recommends not using any of the following nonstandardized tests for the routine evaluation of IgE-mediated FA:•Basophil histamine release/activation•Lymphocyte stimulation•Facial thermography•Gastric juice analysis•Endoscopic allergen provocation•Hair analysis•Applied kinesiology•Provocation neutralization•Allergen-specific IgG4•Cytotoxicity assays•Electrodermal test (Vega)•Mediator release assay (LEAP diet) Guideline 13: The EP suggests that SPTs, sIgE tests, and APTs may be considered to help identify foods that are associated with EoE, but these tests alone are not sufficient to make the diagnosis of FA. The role of these tests in the diagnosis of other eosinophilic GI disorders has not been established. Guideline 14: The EP recommends using the medical history and oral food challenge to establish a diagnosis of FPIES. However, when history indicates that infants or children have experienced hypotensive episodes or multiple reactions to the same food, a diagnosis may be based on a convincing history and absence of symptoms when the causative food is eliminated from the diet. Guideline 15: The EP recommends using the medical history, resolution of symptoms when the causative food is eliminated from the diet, and recurrence of symptoms following an oral food challenge to diagnose allergic proctocolitis. (Not summarized here; refer to Guidelines.) Guideline 16: The EP recommends using the medical history, including the absence of symptoms while the causative food is avoided, and positive patch tests to diagnose allergic contact dermatitis. Guideline 17: The EP suggests using the medical history, including the resolution of symptoms while the causative food is avoided, and positive patch tests to establish the diagnosis of systemic contact dermatitis. Guideline 18: The EP suggests using the medical history, including the absence of symptoms while the causative food is avoided, positive sIgE tests or SPTs, and positive immediate epicutaneous skin tests (for example, positive immediate responses to APTs), to establish the diagnosis of food-induced IgE-mediated contact urticaria. Contact urticaria can be of 2 types, either IgE mediated or non-IgE mediated. In IgE-mediated contact urticaria, substances present in foods interact with sIgE bound to cutaneous mast cells, leading to the release of histamine and other inflammatory mediators. Localized or generalized urticaria, as well as systemic symptoms, may result. sIgE-mediated contact urticaria may be assessed with APTs, SPTs, or sIgE tests, although there is no standardization of diagnostic methodology. In non-IgE-mediated contact urticaria to food, systemic symptoms are rarely seen. Guideline 19: The EP recommends that individuals with documented IgE-mediated FA should avoid ingesting their specific allergen or allergens. Guideline 20: The EP recommends that individuals with documented non-IgE-mediated FA should avoid ingesting their specific allergen or allergens. Guideline 21: In individuals with documented or proven FA who also have 1 or more of the following—AD, asthma, or EoE—the EP recommends avoidance of their specific allergen or allergens. Guideline 22: In individuals without documented or proven FA, the EP does not recommend avoiding potentially allergenic foods as a means of managing AD, asthma, or EoE. Guideline 23: The EP recommends nutritional counseling and regular growth monitoring for all children with FA. Guideline 24: The EP suggests that individuals with FA and their caregivers receive education and training on how to interpret ingredient lists on food labels and how to recognize labeling of the food allergens used as ingredients in foods. The EP also suggests that products with precautionary labeling, such as “this product may contain trace amounts of allergen,” be avoided. Guideline 25: The EP suggests follow-up testing for individuals with FA depending on the specific food to which the individual is allergic. Whether testing is done annually or at other intervals depends on the food in question, the age of the child, and the intervening medical history. Guideline 26: There are no medications currently recommended by the EP to prevent IgE-mediated food-induced allergic reactions from occurring in an individual with existing FA. Guideline 27: There are no medications currently recommended by the EP to prevent non-IgE-mediated food-induced allergic reactions from occurring in an individual with existing FA. Allergen avoidance is the first line of treatment for FA, and use of antihistamines, as needed, remains the mainstay of managing (as opposed to preventing) symptoms of nonsevere food-induced allergic reactions. However, drug therapy has been used to treat FA in cases where allergen avoidance is extremely difficult or results in nutritional deficiencies. Drugs that alter the immune response to the allergen are commonly considered the most likely candidates for such therapy in the future, but these treatments are not currently recommended (see Guideline 28). Guideline 28: The EP does not recommend using allergen-specific immunotherapy to treat IgE-mediated FA. Guideline 29: The EP does not recommend immunotherapy with cross-reactive allergens for treating IgE-mediated FA. Guideline 30: The EP recommends that patients with FA and their caregivers be provided with information on food allergen avoidance and emergency management that is age and culturally appropriate. In summary: Patients who have generated IgE antibodies to an allergen are at risk for anaphylaxis with systemic exposure to that allergen. Thus, patients who have IgE-mediated egg allergy are at risk for anaphylaxis if injected with vaccines containing egg protein. More detailed information about specific egg-containing vaccines (MMR, MMRV, influenza, yellow fever, and rabies) is provided in sections 5.1.11.1-5.1.11.4 of the Guidelines. The EP recognizes that changes in these recommendations may occur in the future as there is an increased understanding of the risk factors for allergic reactions and as vaccine manufacturing processes improve and decrease the final egg protein content of vaccines. For the most current recommendations, health care professionals should refer to the Web sites of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP):•http://aapredbook.aappublications.org/•http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/ Guideline 31: The EP recognizes the varying consensus recommendations of the different organizations on this particular vaccine and recommends that children with egg allergy, even those with a history of severe reactions, receive vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and for MMR with varicella (MMRV). The safety of this practice has been recognized by ACIP and AAP and is noted in the approved product prescribing information for these vaccines. In summary: The EP concludes that insufficient evidence exists to recommend administering influenza vaccine, either inactivated or live-attenuated, to patients with a history of severe reactions to egg proteins. Severe reactions include a history of hives, angioedema, allergic asthma, or systemic anaphylaxis to egg proteins (or chicken proteins). Less severe or local manifestations of allergy to egg or feathers are not contraindications. However, the EP notes that egg allergy is relatively common among the very patients who would highly benefit from influenza vaccination. Such patients include children and young adults (from 6 months to 18 years old for seasonal influenza, and from 6 months to 24 years old for H1N1 influenza) and all patients with asthma. It should be noted that live-attenuated vaccine is not licensed for use in patients with asthma. Although ACIP and AAP, and also the vaccine manufacturers, do not recommend influenza vaccination in patients who are allergic to egg, several publications have described different approaches to giving the influenza vaccine to patients with severe allergic reactions to egg. These approaches, which depend on the ovalbumin content and the results of SPTs or intradermal tests with the vaccine, include a single dose of vaccine, 2 doses of vaccine, or multiple doses. However, the evidence supporting these approaches is limited by the small numbers of patients included in each study. Moreover, data indicate that, although the vaccines are relatively safe, there remains some, albeit low, risk of systemic reactions. Also, negative SPT results do not accurately predict safety of vaccination, in that 5% of patients with negative SPTs had systemic reactions to vaccination. In summary: The EP recognizes the current guidelines from the different organizations and recommends against administering yellow fever vaccine to patients with a history of hives, angioedema, allergic asthma, or systemic anaphylaxis to egg proteins, unless an allergy evaluation and testing with the vaccine is done first. This approach has been recognized by ACIP and AAP and is noted in the approved product prescribing information for this vaccine. In summary: The EP recognizes the current guidelines from the different organizations and recommends against administering rabies vaccines to patients with a history of hives, angioedema, allergic asthma, or systemic anaphylaxis to egg proteins, unless an allergy evaluation and testing with the vaccine is done first. This approach has been recognized by ACIP and AAP and is noted in the approved product prescribing information for these vaccines. Guideline 32: The EP suggests that patients at risk for developing FA do not limit exposure to potential nonfood allergens (for example, dust mites, pollen, or pet dander). Patients at risk for developing FA are defined as those with a biological parent or sibling with existing, or history of, allergic rhinitis, asthma, AD, or FA. This definition of “at risk” is used throughout sections 5.2 and 5.3. Guideline 33: The EP suggests that patients at risk for developing FA do not need to limit exposure to foods that may be cross-reactive with the 8 major food allergens in the United States (milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and crustacean shellfish).