Methods for detecting a food specific immune response

A method of treating a subject with active or inactive eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), the method comprising:

• a) detecting the presence of or level of one or more immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies bound to the one or more food antigens in an esophageal secretion sample;
• b) comparing the level of the one or more Ig antibodies bound to the one or more food antigens in the esophageal secretion sample to the level of one or more Ig antibodies bound to the one or more food antigens in a reference sample;
• c) determining that the level of the one or more Ig antibodies bound to a food specific antigen is higher in the esophageal secretion sample compared to the level of the one or more Ig antibodies bound to the same food specific antigen in a reference sample;
• and
• d) withdrawing one or more food types that correlate to the food antigen bound to the one or more Ig antibodies that is higher in the esophageal secretion sample of the subject,
• thereby treating the subject.