Studies of food specific IgG antibodies in individuals with penicillin allergy

Our aim was to evaluate the role of IgG antibodies in allergy and definite whether food specific IgG antibodies are related with penicillin allergy. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioallergosorbent test (RAST) were used to examine 3 kinds of specific IgG antibodies to foods ( peanut, egg, milk) in sera of 99 penicillin allergic individuals so as to explore the role of IgG in allergy, and we analyzed the relationship between food specific IgG antibodies and penicillin allergy. Our data showed that the positive rate of specific IgG antibodies to peanut, egg, milk and crab was 30.3%, 37.4%, 31.3%, and 23.2%, respectively. The levels of specific IgG antibodies to peanut, egg, milk in individuals with penicillin allergy were all higher than that in controls (P 0.05). Compared with subjects without peni- cillin allergy, the positive rates of IgG antibodies to peanut, milk and crab were all higher in subjects with penicillin allergy (P 0.05). A- mong all penicillin allergic individuals with different symptoms, significant difference was found in specific IgG antibodies to egg (P 0.05). Based on the results, we concluded that IgG may be blocking antibodies in allergy. In penicillin allergy, specific IgG to egg may be associated with allergic symptoms.