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Background: For adults, prevalence estimates of food sensitization (FS) and food allergy (FA) have been obtained in a standardized manner across Europe. For children, such estimates are lacking., Objectives: To determine the prevalence of self-reported FA, FS, probable FA (symptoms plus IgE sensitization), and challenge-confirmed FA in European school-age children., Methods: Data on self-reported FA were collected through a screening questionnaire sent to a random sample of the general population of 7- to 10-year-old children in 8 European centers in phase I of the EuroPrevall study. Data on FS and probable FA were obtained in phase II, comprising an extensive questionnaire on reactions to 24 commonly implicated foods, and serology testing. Food challenge was performed in phase III., Results: Prevalence (95% CI) of self-reported FA ranged from 6.5% (5.4-7.6) in Athens to 24.6% (22.8-26.5) in Lodz; prevalence of FS ranged from 11.0% (9.7-12.3) in Reykjavik to 28.7% (26.9-30.6) in Zurich; and prevalence of probable FA ranged from 1.9% (0.8-3.5) in Reykjavik to 5.6% (3.6-8.1) in Lodz. In all centers, most food-sensitized subjects had primary (non-cross-reactive) FS. However, FS due to birch pollen related cross-reactivity was also common in Central-Northern Europe. Probable FA to milk and egg occurred frequently throughout Europe; to fish and shrimp mainly in the Mediterranean and Reykjavik. Peach, kiwi, and peanut were prominent sources of plant FA in most countries, along with notably hazelnut, apple, carrot, and celery in Central-Northern Europe and lentils and walnut in the Mediterranean., Conclusions: There are large geograhical differences in the prevalence of FS and FA in school-age children across Europe. Both primary and cross-reactive FS and FA occur frequently., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Kiwifruit is a common cause of food allergy. Symptoms range from mild to anaphylactic reactions., Objective: We sought to elucidate geographic differences across Europe regarding clinical patterns and sensitization to kiwifruit allergens. Factors associated with the severity of kiwifruit allergy were identified, and the diagnostic performance of specific kiwifruit allergens was investigated., Methods: This study was part of EuroPrevall, a multicenter European study investigating several aspects of food allergy. Three hundred eleven patients with kiwifruit allergy from 12 countries representing 4 climatic regions were included. Specific IgE to 6 allergens (Act d 1, Act d 2, Act d 5, Act d 8, Act d 9, and Act d 10) and kiwifruit extract were tested by using ImmunoCAP., Results: Patients from Iceland were mainly sensitized to Act d 1 (32%), those from western/central and eastern Europe were mainly sensitized to Act d 8 (pathogenesis-related class 10 protein, 58% and 44%, respectively), and those from southern Europe were mainly sensitized to Act d 9 (profilin, 31%) and Act d 10 (nonspecific lipid transfer protein, 22%). Sensitization to Act d 1 and living in Iceland were independently and significantly associated with severe kiwifruit allergy (odds ratio, 3.98 [P = .003] and 5.60 [P < .001], respectively). Using a panel of 6 kiwifruit allergens in ImmunoCAP increased the diagnostic sensitivity to 65% compared with 20% for skin prick tests and 46% ImmunoCAP using kiwi extract., Conclusion: Kiwifruit allergen sensitization patterns differ across Europe. The use of specific kiwifruit allergens improved the diagnostic performance compared with kiwifruit extract. Sensitization to Act d 1 and living in Iceland are strong risk factors for severe kiwifruit allergy., (Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)