Posts

Showing posts with the label ALLERGOLOGY

New treatment shows promise against peanut allergy

Image
In a first, an oral immunotherapy drug derived from peanut protein could help build tolerance and eliminate potentially deadly reactions in children and adolescents with severe peanut allergies. The study showed that controlled ingestion of the medication, called AR101, derived from peanut protein, could build tolerance as well as reduce severe allergy symptoms . "Almost 6 million American children are currently living with a life-threatening food allergy," said Christina Ciaccio, Associate Professor from the University of Chicago in the US. "Every three minutes a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room, contributing to the total annual cost of caring for children with food allergy to nearly $25 billion. Despite this, not a single treatment for food allergy has been approved by the FDA," she said. However, the drug "is not a quick fix, and it doesn't mean people with peanut allergy will be able to eat peanuts when

Pollen exposure during pregnancy linked to baby asthma risk

Image
Turns out, children born in the peak grass pollen season, October and December, may have a greater risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma . Led by La Trobe University, a team of local (The MACS study) and international (COPSAC2000 and LISAplus) researchers analysed cord blood collected from hundreds of babies born in Melbourne, Denmark, and Germany. They discovered those born during the peak grass pollen season in both hemispheres had high immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in umbilical cord blood - a marker used to predict the development of allergic diseases. Lead researcher, Bircan Erbas from La Trobe's School of Psychology and Public Health, said the aim of the study was to determine the effect of exposure to high grass pollens during pregnancy and soon after birth. Read Complete Article