Gut Microbiome and the Development of Food Allergy and Allergic Disease

Abstract

The impact of gut microbiome on human development, nutritional needs, and disease has become evident with advances in the ability to study these complex communities of microorganisms, and there is growing appreciation for the role of the microbiome in immune regulation. Several studies have examined associations between changes in the commensal microbiota and the development of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and asthma, but far less have evaluated the impact of the microbiome on the development of food allergy. This article reviews the human gastrointestinal microbiome, focusing on the theory and evidence for its role in the development of IgE-mediated food allergy and other allergic diseases.

Keywords: Allergic disease; Allergic rhinitis; Asthma; Commensal flora; Eczema; Food allergy; Gut microbiota; Microbiome.