The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
conducts research on food allergy and other allergic diseases.
This research is focused on understanding what happens to
the body during the allergic process
Research on Food Allergies
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
conducts research on food allergy and other allergic diseases.
This research is focused on understanding what happens to
the body during the allergic process—the sequence of events
leading to the allergic response and the factors responsible
for allergic diseases. This understanding will lead to better
methods of diagnosing, preventing, and treating allergic
diseases. Researchers also are looking at better ways to study
allergic reactions to foods.
Educating people, including patients, healthcare providers,
school teachers, and daycare workers, about the importance
of food allergy is also an important research focus. The more
people know about the disorder,
the better equipped they will
be to control food allergies.
Several treatment approaches
are currently being tested in
research settings.
Immunotherapy with Allergen
Injections
One potential treatment for food allergy involves getting
injections or shots (immunotherapy) subcutaneously (under
the skin) that contain small quantities of the food extracts to
which a person is allergic. These shots are given regularly for
a long period of time with the aim of increasing the ability
to tolerate the food allergen. Researchers have not yet found
a safe and effective way to give allergens subcutaneously,
because people often have allergic reactions to these injections.
Immunotherapy with Allergen Under the Tongue
Another potential treatment for food allergy involves putting
allergens under the tongue, called sublingual immunotherapy
(SLIT). Researchers think this is safer than giving under the
skin. As of mid-2007, however, this treatment was only in
very early stages.
Anti-IgE Therapy
One published study suggested that some (but not all) people
with peanut allergy might be partially protected against allergic
reactions to low doses of peanut by taking regular subcutaneous
injections of one particular form of a medicine called anti-IgE.
Because the FDA-approved anti-IgE medicine has not yet
been tested for peanut allergy, this treatment is not currently
available for peanut allergy. Scientists need to do further
research to determine the value of anti-IgE.
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