Table of Contents
Prevalence/Problem 3
What is currently being done? 3
Types of invasive tests 4
Noninvasive tests 5
My solution 5
What’s next 5
References 6
A New Non-Invasive test for Food Based Allergies
Prevalence/Problem
Food allergy and intolerance is described as a wide range of adverse reactions to foods and in 2010 an expert panel, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, published guidelines for diagnosis and management of food allergies in the United States. The four categories of immune-mediated adverse food reactions are IgE-mediated, non-IgE-mediated, mixed-IgE- and non-IgE-mediated (Skypala, 2011). Food allergies, are also defined as an adverse immune response to food proteins, which affect about 6% of young children and 3% to 4% of adults. These food based allergic reactions, or non-IgE-mediated allergies, cause a variety of symptoms involving the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory tract (Sicherer, 2006). These allergies are increasingly prevalent in the developmental world and some people develop potentially fatal systemic allergic reaction, termed anaphylaxis, within seconds or minutes of exposer to the allergen (Sampson,2004,805).
Not only, though, can allergic reactions be caused directly, but also indirectly via kissing which is relatively common, 5.3% to 12% (Galli, 2008). Commonly the allergic reaction was documented shortly after the partner ingested the food. If it were a kiss on the cheek the reaction would stay more local to the area. Furthermore passionate kissing usually caused more significant reactions, like anaphylaxis (Maloney, 2006).
With allergies becoming increasingly prevalent in the developmental world, the reactions becomin...
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...Sampson, Hugh. “Food Allergy. Part 1: Immunopathogenesis and Clinical Disorders” Current Reviews of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 103.5 part 1 (1999): 717-728. Print.
PS, Leung, Chen YC, Chu KH. “Seafood Allergy: Tropomyosins and Beyond” J Microbiol Immunol Infect 32.3 (1999): 1-1 Google Scholar. Web. 9 Jan. 2014
Skypala, Isabel. “Adverse Food Reactions—An Emerging Issue for Adults” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 111.12(2011): 1877-1891. Print.
Maloney, Jennifer, Martin Chapmen, and Scott Sicherer. “Peanut allergen exposure through saliva: Assessment and interventions to reduce exposure” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 118.3 (2006): 719-724. Print.
Tsuei, Julia, et al. “A Food Allergy Study Utilizing the EAV Acupuncture Technique” Journal of Advancement in Medicine 12.1 (1999): 49-68. Print.
Do I do more then what is sited in paper?
A food allergy is an exaggerated immune response triggered by a particular protein found in an allergen. Different people have different allergic reactions; ranging from mild to life threatening, whereby an anaphylactic reaction takes place. Symptoms of the allergic diseases may be caused by exposure of the skin to a chemical, of the respiratory system to particles of dust or any other substance, or of the stomach and intestines to a particular food (“What Is Food Allergy?”). In the last few decades, there seems to be an increased media and medical interest on the subject of allergies in general, but mostly on peanut allergies. According to Miranda Waggoner, a Princeton University researcher, no medical research agenda can be found prior to the 1980s. Are peanut allergies really getting more severe and prevalent that the medical community now puts a little more effort into studying the disorder? Or are people just more aware now that word travels faster than ever through the World Wide We...
Stoppler, Melissa C., and William C. Shiel. "Food Allergy." Medicinenet.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
There are many allergic reactions that come with food allergies. The main one is called anaphylaxis. This fatal reaction is a violent allergic reaction that occurs thought the body causing nausea, vomiting, swelling, chest pain, choking and collapse.
True food allergies are rare. The FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) estimates that only 2% of the adult population of the United States is allergic to foods. Further, only eight foods cause 90% of all food allergic reactions. They are milk, egg, wheat, peanut, soy, tree nuts, fish and shellfish (Food Allergy Network). Many reactions to foods are really intolerance (reaction of the metabolism due to a chemical deficiency) rather than allergy (reaction of the immune system). Many infant allergies, which are later outgrown, are thought to be the result of immature immune systems. However, other allergies become stronger as the person ages and inadvertently becomes more exposed. One report on KCBS radio indicated there may be a link between mothers who ate peanuts during pregnancy and their children’s subsequent allergies.
There are numerous foods that can cause allergic reactions, however, 90% of all recorded food allergies are because of eggs, milk, fish, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans and wheat. For some people, they can be allergic to more than one food, while others tend to have only one single food allergy. Knowing which food allergen to avoid is the best way to stop the occurrence of an allergic reaction. It is also essential to consult a doctor or an allergist for them to evaluate the ...
You have close relatives with allergy (that is, a mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, or child)
8Peanut Butter, Milk, and other Deadly Threats: What You Should Know About Food Allergies, written by Sherri Mabry Gordon,
Allergies are hypersensitive immune responses to substances that either enter or come in contact with the body. In layman's terms allergies are, a food or natural substance. These include pollen, ragweed, peanuts, shellfish and pet dander are recognized by the immune system as a threat.
Borghesan, F., Bernardi, D., & Plebani, M. (2007). In vivo and in vitro allergy diagnostics: it's time to reappraise the costs. Clinical Chemistry & Laboratory Medicine, 45(3), 391-395. doi:10.1515/CCLM.2007.077
The culprit of chocolate allergy may be rarely the cocoa or chocolate itself and is most likely to be triggered by an allergen or an ingredient of chocolate.
Imagine going to a cafeteria and ordering food. As you take a bite into your meal, you notice a strange tingling in your throat. A rash forms on your skin. Nothing seems to concern you. As you continue eating, breathing becomes increasingly difficult. Your throat has swelled up. You panic and grab your epinephrine autoinjector and inject yourself. If you were too late, your body would've gone into shock and could have even died. Instead, you return to normal and realized the food you ate contained an allergen you were sensitive to. This slight mistake could have ended your life if you did not have your epipen. This reaction is common to people who have allergies. Perhaps only a rash would occur or just a slight swelling of the throat. Allergenic reactions are on the rise. What causes allergies and why have so many people been diagnosed with allergies? The basic answer is insufficient training of the immune system. What is thought to be insufficient training? Prior to this rise in allergies and life in the 21st and 20th century, cleanliness was not the main issue towards allergies. Society did not have the hypercleanliness attitude that it does today. Children played outdoors, became dirty, and antiseptic products were not rampant in households. Life seemed more natural than it does today. Today, society appreciates the advances in technology for the household well being and the individual well being. Hand sanitizers took the place of soaps, antibiotics took the reign in place of a natural immune response. This shift towards technology and advances has put a damper on our immune system and it's capabilities of fighting antigen. The preferred training of the immune system during adolescence has shifted from the T-helper 1 response...
In the United States, over three million people are diagnosed with food allergies every year, and over 50 million people have an allergy to some type of food. This number includes one in every 13 children. Most people are born with their allergies; however, allergies can develop at any age, and that is what happened to me. I developed an allergy when I was 14 years old. It was then that some troubling and deleterious side effects started happening to me. When people develop food allergies, their immune systems overreact to normally harmless food proteins. (foodallergy.org). These attacks can affect people in a multitude of ways; they can cause hives, difficulty in breathing, stomach aches, and many more symptoms.
Healthy humans have two types of immune systems that protect the body from invading pathogens that cause diseases. The Innate Immunity is the first barrier of protection. It is similar to a force field. Its primary purpose is to destroy any pathogen that tries to enter the epidermis cells (the skin cells) and the mucosa (mucus secreting cells found in the GI tract, respiratory tract, urogenital tract and eyes. If the first defense does not work, the adaptive immunity steps in to eradicate the invading microbe. Yet, sometimes the body reacts to harmless agents as if they were pathogens. Every day, more adults develop allergies to things in their environment. Exposure to such things as pollen, grass, mold and pet dander1 can lead to mild or harmful reactions. Other allergens can cause tingling in the throat and mouth, and in many cases severe reaction that lead to death. 2 In the last couple of decades, 75 to 100 percent of asthma and 150 percent atopy have reported.4 17.7 million adults and 7.1 million were diagnosed with allergies and hay fever.5 There are no known reasons why people developed hypersensitivity to certain agents, yet, many adults are developing allergies later in life. Statistically, children are the ones who develop allergies the most. About 3.9 percent of children have allergies, whereas 2% of adults have it. 6 Then, why are adults becoming more and more susceptible to this affliction? One possible reason is foods and every day household products are making people sick. Could it be that constant exposure to known hypoallergenic agents are causing allergic reactions to develop in adults who have never displayed any allergic reactions in their lifetime?
Human race is known to have developed numerous allergies to various known and unknown allergens. An extreme allergic reaction which can be “life-threatening”. (Mydr.com.au, 2014) is referred to as Anaphylaxis.It is a “medical emergency”(Lloyd & Sisman,2013).Statistics indicate that maximum deaths occur due to allergic reactions of various medicines. The other causative agents can be insects, food, latex, hair dye, etc(Lloyd & Sisman,2013). The most common trigger to stimulate anaphylaxis among children are food products such as peanuts, dairy, seafood etc. Exposure to any of these allergens can result in severe anaphylactic attack within 20 minutes.(Australian Resuscitation council, 2012).However the doctors discuss the history of symptoms occurring in children suffering with peanut allergy before declaring them to be anaphylactic and prescribing medication. (Unknown, 2014). Symptoms of anaphylaxis may occur in varied forms depending upon the severty of the reaction. For instance in mild cases swelling of lips, eyes or face occurs along with hives, rash, tingling of mouth and vomitting accompanied with abdominal pain. Nevertheless in extreme conditions the former symptoms may be accompanied with noisy breathing, wheezing, hoarseness and unconsciousness. (Lloyd & Sisman,2013).
Anaphylaxis shock occurs when someone who is sensitive to a substance they are exposed to which results in constricted airway and possible inability to breathe. Parents with children that experience any form of allergic reaction most notify the day care provider so appropriate precautionary steps are taken to maintain a safe health environment for these children. As allergy conditions have slowly increased within our society day care providers have taken more aggressive action to protect these children by extending a “peanut free environment” within the school setting. The percentage of children who experience their first allergic reaction outside the home has increased by 77% over past years daycare providers need to be trained and prepared to handle all types of allergic reaction situations. Steps that a provider and parent should take are as follows: 1. Food allergy action plan, 2. Inform all staff, 3. Post child’s name and allergy,