Milk allergy test

Information about the milk allergy test Imutest Milk Allergy

The milk allergy test is very reliable, clinically evaluated and certified home medical diagnostic test for checking the allergy to cow's milk at home.

The test detects IgE antibodies specific for those proteins in cow's milk that cause an allergic reaction.

Testing for milk allergy with this test is straightforward – only a small drop of blood from a fingertip is needed. Since the test is fast, safe and reliable, you can perform testing by yourself at home with ease.

The milk allergy testing kit includes everything you need to perform allergy testing at home. The kit also includes easy-to-follow instructions for use.

The test is specially designed to be used by individuals without any knowledge or experience in medical self-testing.

Individuals usually need about 5 to 10 minutes to perform the test. There is an additional 30-minute waiting time for the result to appear.

The milk allergy test enables you to find out if IgE antibodies specific for allergy to milk are present in your body. The test will help you to identify if you have an allergy to milk after ingestion of food containing cow's milk.

About the milk allergy

Milk allergy is an abnormal response of the immune system to proteins contained in different dairy products.

An allergy to milk is the most common type of food allergy among children.¹ Although a food allergy is especially frequent among children (5 – 8%), it can be present also among adults (1 – 2%).²

Cow's milk contains around 20 proteins which can potentially cause an allergic reaction.³

IgE mediated allergic reaction (this means that the body's immune system produced IgE antibodies) usually appears 1 to 2 hours after ingestion of food. Non-IgE mediated allergic reaction can also appear later.⁴

Individuals can experience symptoms of an allergy to specific food when they ingest such food, inhale or even when they are only in physical contact with such food.⁴

Symptoms and signs of the milk allergy

A food allergy (allergy to milk) commonly manifests as a problem of the digestive tract such as itching in the mouth and lips, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. This symptoms usually appear shortly after exposure to an allergen.³

Food allergy can be the cause of constipation in newborns and children. It frequently affects the respiratory system and manifests as rhinorrhea and wheezing.³

The most severe manifestation of a food allergy may be anaphylaxis³, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.⁵

Allergy to milk is not the same as lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance is not a milk allergy. Lactose intolerance is a common digestive disorder when the body is unable to digest lactose. Lactose is a type of sugar contained in milk and dairy products.⁶

Milk allergy testing at home

Testing for milk allergy at home with this test enables you to check the allergy in only 30 minutes, without the need to go anywhere to get tested or send a blood sample to a laboratory.

The presence of IgE antibodies specific for the particular allergen (e.g. proteins in cow's milk) is the most important blood marker for diagnosis of an allergy.⁷

Commonly used diagnostic tests for the identification of a dairy allergy are skin-prick tests and blood (serology) tests for detection of IgE antibodies specific to proteins in cow's milk.

Experts carry out such tests in doctors' offices or medical laboratories, but you can also test yourself at home for an allergy to milk.

This milk allergy test is a blood (serology) test for the detection of IgE antibodies specific to proteins in cow's milk.

Its main advantage is that it can be carried out by individuals without any knowledge or experience in medical self-testing.

There is no need to send samples to a laboratory or to go anywhere to do a preliminary check of the milk allergy.

You can do the test at home, and know the result in only 30 minutes.

At home you can test yourself also for the egg allergy.

When to get tested for milk allergy?

Experts estimate that between 2 % to 10 % of the population in Europe suffer for some type of an allergy. Food allergy affects between 11 and 26 million people in Europe.⁸

Different factors can influence on the immune response to some specific allergen such as genetic predisposition, amount of an allergen and exposure to such allergen in childhood.⁹

Experts recommend testing for milk allergy, especially to individuals who experience symptoms of a food allergy after ingestion of dairy products, such as:

• nausea,
• stomach pain,
• vomiting,
• itchy mouth and lips,
• skin rashes,
• digestion problems,
• diarrhoea.

How accurate is the milk allergy test?

The milk allergy test is 97,15 % accurate. Accuracy has been evaluated in the clinical performance evaluation study in which results of this test have been compared with the results obtained in the laboratory.

In 97,15 % of cases, the milk allergy test showed the same result as laboratory tests.

The test is very reliable. It is manufactured in the United Kingdom, it is ISO 13485 compliant and CE certified in the Netherlands by the Notification body 0344.¹⁰

How to perfom the milk allergy test at home?

The milk allergy test is a certified home medical diagnostic test, specially designed to be performed by individuals with no experience in medical diagnostics.

This is a blood test. A small drop of blood from a fingertip needs to be collected (kit comes with the accessories for blood collection).

Milk allergy testing procedure

The milk allergy testing kit comes with easy-to-follow instructions for use that guide you through the testing procedure.

Testing with this dairy allergy test is safe and very easy. You carry out the analysis in four steps:

1. withdraw blood from a fingertip,
2. add the blood and buffer to the testing device,
3. activate the testing device,
4. wait 30 minutes for the result.

Individuals usually need 5-10 minutes to complete a testing procedure by themselves at home. There is an additional 30-minute waiting time for the result.

The usefulness of the results obtained with the milk allergy test

Result of the milk allergy test will help you find out if the allergenic milk proteins cause your food-related health issues.

Results are interpreted visually as positive, negative or invalid.

In the case of a positive result: avoid milk and other dairy products. Consult your doctor about further steps.

In the case of a negative result: monitor milk allergy symptoms, and if you experience the symptoms again, repeat the test with a new test.

Important notice: if the result of the milk allergy test is negative and symptoms of the milk allergy persist, it might be the case of a non-IgE mediated allergy reaction. In such a case, we advise you to consult with your doctor.

In case of an invalid result: the Sanotest Quality Guarantee applies. Please contact us.

Limitations of the milk allergy test

With many advantages of this milk allergy home test, there are also some limitations you should consider before ordering the test.

You should not take decisions of medical relevance based on the result of the milk allergy test alone without consulting a doctor.

Do not take any decision of medical relevance without first consulting your doctor. If you use the milk allergy test for monitoring an existing allergic disease, you should not change your treatment unless you have received appropriate training.

Result of the milk allergy test should be interpreted in line with the existing milk allergy symptoms.

High levels of IgE can be a useful indicator of the risk of allergy but a high level of IgE, by itself, will not indicate that you are at a high risk of suffering or developing allergies.

You must have or have had milk allergy symptoms for a positive result to be significant. Neither can normal levels of IgE completely rule out a risk of suffering or developing a milk allergy in the future.

The milk allergy test is for single use and one person only.

You should never combine blood samples or reuse the test. Only one person should use the test. Once you use the milk allergy test, you cannot reuse it.

Questions and answers about the milk allergy test

Is the milk allergy test suitable for children?

Yes, it is suitable. In case of testing children for a milk allergy, parents should perform the test.

Is this the test for lactose intolerance?

No. This test is a milk allergy test. It detects IgE antibodies specific for allergenic proteins in milk.

Lactose intolerance is not a milk allergy. Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder when the body is unable to digest lactose. Lactose is a type of sugar contained in milk and dairy products.⁶

Should I consume milk before performing the test?

If you know that milk is causing you problems, you should not consume it before performing the test. In such a case, you should consult with your doctor before doing the test.

How do you know that a testing device works correctly?

A testing device has an internal control integrated. When a colour line appears in the control area of a testing device, it means that a testing device works correctly.

Are blood collection accessories included in the milk allergy testing kit?

Yes, the milk allergy testing kit includes blood collection accessories.

Literature:

¹ Steinke M., et al., 2007. Perceived food allergy in children in 10 European nations. A randomised telephone survey. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 2007(143), 290-295.
² Lack G., 2008. Epidemiologic risks for food allergy. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2008(121(06)), 1331-1336.
³ Fiocchi A., et al., 2010. Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow’s Milk Allergy (DRACMA): A summary report. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2010, 126(6), 1119-1128.
⁴ Bahna S. L., 2003. Clinical expressions of food allergy. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 2003(90), 41-44.
⁵ Mayo Clinic. Anaphylaxis. Accessible at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anaphylaxis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351468 (11. 3. 2020).
⁶ NHS. Overview: Lactose intolerance. Accessible at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lactose-intolerance/ (28. 8. 2018).
⁷ Sanchez-Borges M, et al., 2011. Diagnosis and identification of causative allergens. V: Pawnkar R., et al., WAO White Book on Allergy, 101-106.
⁸ Mills E. N., et al., 2007. The prevalence, cost and basis of food allergy across Europe. Allergy. 2007(62), 717-722.
⁹ Platts-Mills A. E. T., et al., 2011. Allergens as Risk Factors for Allergic Disease. V: Pawnkar R., et al., WAO White Book on Allergy, 2011, 79-84.
¹⁰ European Commission. Tools and Databases, Legislation. Accessible at: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/nando/index.cfm?fuseaction=country.nb&refe_cd=EPOS_43666 (10. 03. 2020).