ADULT-ONSET OF COWS MILK PROTEIN ALLERGY WITH SMALL-INTESTINAL MUCOSAL IGE MAST-CELLS

We report a female patient with adult onset of cow's milk protein alle rgy. For 1 year, she experienced repeated gastrointestinal symptoms an d had a single exercise-induced anaphylactic reaction. In addition to positive skin tests and specific IgE to milk proteins and a positive c hallenge test, immunohistochemistry of the small intestine showed a ma rked increase of IgE-positive mast cells. This finding is highly speci fic and could provide an additional tool for diagnosing cow's milk pro tein allergy and possibly also other food allergies.