The Enemy Within - Food Allergies
The guidance document is the result of several years of negotiation by a high-level collaboration of experts from regulatory agencies representing Canada, USA, Australia, Japan, the European Union, academic research institutions, and food allergen test-kit manufacturers, under the auspices of the AOAC (Association of Analytical Communities) Presidential Taskforce on Food Allergens. For the first time, national authorities carrying out official food allergen controls have a common basis for accepting validated testing methods. Consumers allergic to certain food ingredients will benefit from an increased level of protection by the availability of harmonised and reliable testing methods, and international trade will be facilitated by applying mutually-agreed testing protocols.
Phadia Announces Plans To Continue Development Of Allergen Component Tests
Today, at the 2010 Annual Meeting of The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Phadia, the world leader in in vitro allergy diagnostics, announced plans to provide access for specialists to peanut allergen components. These plans support Phadia's goal to expand collaboration with allergy and immunology specialists in order to advance the understanding of the clinical utility of allergen component test results. In addition, Phadia is actively working with the FDA on clearance of allergen component based testing. Allergy Or Tolerance In Children Sensitized To Peanut: Prevalence And Differentiation Using Component-Resolved Diagnostics ("The Manchester Study"), published in the January issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) highlighted Phadia's Component-Resolved Diagnostics ("allergen components") as a potentially useful tool in differentiating a patient with sensitization to peanut from a patient at risk of a severe allergic reaction.
New Research Suggests Link Between Climate Change And Outdoor Allergies
Climate changes may affect many aspects of human health, including respiratory allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), according to a study being presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Pollen counts, seasons' duration and prevalence of sensitizations for five types of pollen in the Bordighera region of Italy were recorded from 1981 to 2007 by the Allergy and Respiratory Diseases Clinic at Genoa University in Italy. Over time, there was a progressive increase in the duration of some pollen seasons. Additionally, the total pollen load was progressively increased for some species.
Oral Immunotherapy Has Potential For Treating Egg Allergic Children
Could a treatment for egg allergy be on the horizon? Late-breaking research presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) shows promising results for parents of egg allergic children. In this first multi-center trial that involved Duke, Johns Hopkins, Mount Sinai, National Jewish and the University of Arkansas, 55 children between the ages of 5 and 18 were randomized to receive egg white solid oral immunotherapy or a placebo. The study spanned three dosing phases: initial escalation, build-up and maintenance. This was then followed by an oral food challenge at approximately 44 weeks to determine how many of the children became desensitized to egg.
Is Anaphylaxis Triggered By Eating Meat More Common Than We Think?
According to research presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), a carbohydrate in meat called alpha-gal is an under recognized culprit in patients with recurring anaphylaxis. An individual who has had an anaphylactic reaction to something unknown is at an increased risk for repeated episodes if the trigger for the reaction is not identified. With recent research showing that those who have IgE to alpha-gal report anaphylaxis or hives three to six hours after eating mammalian meat, how many of these unknown cases might actually be attributed to it? To find out, 60 patients diagnosed with recurrent, idiopathic anaphylaxis at the University of Virginia, the University of Tennessee and the John James Medical Center in Australia were identified and tested for the presence of IgE to alpha-gal.
Can Folate And Food Allergen Intake During Pregnancy Put Your Child At Risk For Allergies Or Asthma?
It has long been known that the choices you make during pregnancy can have a lasting impact, but new research shows that certain behaviors could influence whether your child will develop food allergies or asthma. In two studies unveiled at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), researchers examined the relationship between folate levels in pregnancy and the risk of having an asthmatic child, along with the effectiveness of avoiding food allergens during pregnancy in high risk families. Folate Levels The one study found that children born to mothers with mothers with higher folate levels during pregnancy had an increased risk of asthma at age 3.
Most Patients With A History Of Anaphylaxis To Penicillin Can Take Cephalosporins
According to new research presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), most patients who reported a history of anaphylaxis to penicillin can safely take cephalosporins. Cephalosporins, which are the most frequently prescribed class of antibiotics, are related to penicillin in their structure, uses and effects. "Almost all patients undergoing major surgery receive antibiotics to reduce the risk of infections. Many patients with a history of penicillin allergy don't get the cephalosporin because of a concern of possible drug reaction. They might get a second-choice antibiotic that is not quite as effective, " said lead study author James T.
Avoiding Dairy Due To Lactose Intolerance Is Unnecessary In Most Cases
People may avoid milk and other dairy products due to concerns about lactose intolerance, but eliminating these nutrient-rich foods may not only be unnecessary to manage the condition - it could impact diet and health, concludes a panel of experts assembled by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH Consensus Development Conference on Lactose Intolerance and Health was convened to examine the latest research on lactose intolerance, strategies to manage the condition and the health outcomes of diets that exclude dairy foods. Lactose is the natural sugar in milk and some people lack sufficient amounts of an enzyme that is needed to comfortably digest lactose.
Annual Meeting Of The American Academy Of Allergy, Asthma And Immunology
WHAT: The 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) brings together leading allergists and immunologists from around the world. WHO: Scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, will be presenting their latest research findings at the AAAAI Annual Meeting. For more than 60 years, NIAID has supported allergy and immunology research at U.S. and international institutions and conducted studies within its own laboratories to improve the health of millions of people. WHEN: February 26 to March 2, 2010 WHERE: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La.
Will Peanut Allergy Soon Be Treatable?
Two studies presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) examine the use of oral immunotherapy in peanut allergic children and continue to add hope that a treatment may be on the horizon. Both were completed by researchers at Duke University and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. In one, peanut allergic children were randomized to receive either the peanut oral immunotherapy or a placebo. The subjects went through initial escalation, build-up and maintenance dosing. This was then followed by an oral food challenge. Twenty-three children reached the oral food challenge, 15 had received the oral immunotherapy and eight had received the placebo.