Profile of Sensitisation to Food Allergens in Children in the Pneumology and Allergology Unit of the Lomé Teaching Hospital Campus, Togo

Introduction: Sensitisation to food allergens is described as a relatively common sensitivity.The aim of this study was to describe the profile of sensitisation to food allergens in children. Methods:This was a cross-sectional study conducted between 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2022 in the pneumology and allergology unit of the Lom Teaching Hospital, focusing on patients who, after accepting and undergoing skin tests, were found to be sensitised to food allergens. Results:We identified a total of 468 patients aged between 7 months and 18 years; the mean age of patients was 8.1 0.8 years, and the sex ratio was 1.3.The frequency of skin tests performed was 25.9% and that of sensitisation to food allergens was 66.9%.Allergic rhinitis was the reason for consultation in 39.9% of cases.Peanuts were the food implicated in 31.5% of cases as a food allergen in personal history.Patients were sensitised to oilseeds in 70.4% of cases (peanuts, sesame); leguminous in 24.6% of cases (soya, beans); vegetables in 4.7% of cases (okra, adm); fruit (33.6%, including bananas and avocados); cereals (11.8%, including wheat and corn); tubers (1.9%, including cassava and yams); eggs (54.9%); shrimp (53.6%); cow's milk (51.1%); and crab (16.5%). Conclusion:Sensitisation to food allergens was high and concerned both animal and vegetal proteins.