Abstract

Objective: To investigate the food allergy especially, wheat dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) in population of Hyderabad and adjoining areas, Pakistan.
Methodology: We collected the data from 405 individuals having a different form of allergy, some individual were asthmatic and other were non asthmatic with other symptoms, some were effected from dust, pollen, paint etc. Out of 405 individuals, we selected the 10, who were suspected to wheat allergy after ingestion of wheat or wheat products and physical exercise.
Results: We found that their immune system was triggered after eating wheat product and physical activity. Characterization of serum protein in these patients shows that 77 kDa band common which belongs to the insoluble wheat protein (gliadin) and major causative of WDEIA.
Conclusion: Wheat dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis is characterized by anaphylactic reactions after ingestion of the wheat product and physical exercise. The ELISA antibody response confirmed that IgE level of these individuals was very high (range 320-1050 IU/ml).

Key words: Food allergy, asthma, WDEIA, exercise induced asthma.