ABSTRACT
The nomenclature of allergy and allergic diseases has varied from time to time. This chapter presents the existent nomenclature discussing possible changes of the Food Allergy Nomenclature. Hypersensitivity is either mediated by an immunological mechanism or not, dividing hypersensitivity into immunologically mediated hypersensitivity or allergy and non-immunologically mediated hypersensitivity. The WAO position paper classifies allergies mediated by IgE antibodies as IgE-mediated allergy. Atopic allergy is caused by low dose of allergen exposure to mucosal membranes in genetically predisposed individuals causing long standing sensitization. IgE-mediated allergy consists of atopic allergy and high dose dependent IgE-mediated allergies. Auto-immune diseases are not included within allergy, since the causative agents are not environmental but internal/of human origin. The main alimentary disease among diseases/symptoms that are not caused by an immunological hypersensitivity/allergy is lactose intolerance, i.e., primary or secondary enteric lactase deficiency, leading to bacterial fermentation of lactose in the gut.
