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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : April 2, 2015 11:54 AM IST
Have you ever had an allergy to something you ate for the very first time? It is quite common that people don't know that they are allergic to certain foods. But, now it will be a thing of the past and there will be no surprise allergies as scientists have developed a simple blood test which predicts if you are likely to have severe allergic reactions to peanut and seafood.
To detect food allergies, physicians typically use skin prick tests or blood tests that measure levels of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), a protein made by the immune system.However, these tests cannot predict the severity of allergic reactions. A simple, safe blood test -- developed by researchers at the Mount Sinai Hospital -- can now accurately foretell the severity of each person's allergic reaction to foods. (Read: Beware of food allergies!)
The immune cell measured is the basophil and the blood test, called the basophil activation test (BAT), requires only a small blood sample and provides quick results. 'While providing crucial information about their potential for a severe allergic reaction to a food, having blood drawn for BAT testing is a much more comfortable procedure than food challenges,' said first author Ying Song, MD. 'We believe BAT testing will provide accurate information in a safer manner,' Song, also a researcher in the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Mount Sinai Hospital, noted. (Read:Scientists find cause and cure for unsolved food allergy)
For the study, investigators took blood samples from 67 patients, aged 12 to 45 years, who also underwent a food challenge with a placebo or with peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish or sesame. The goal was to see if the BAT test results would correlate with food challenge results. Before the randomised food challenge, researchers collected blood from all patients and analysed the results which showed a strong correlation between BAT testing data and food challenge severity scores. (Read:Beware -- food allergies just don't go away in children )
This finding provides evidence that BAT testing can reduce the need for food challenges not only for peanut, but also for tree nut, fish, shellfish, and sesame and perhaps for other foods. The study was published in The Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
What is food allergy?
Food allergy is a reaction towards certain food component. It occurs when the cells of the immune system recognize a substance in food as harmful and try to destroy it. The substance which triggers an allergic reaction is called an allergen. The most common allergen in foods is proteins. Food allergies can develop at any age.
While some childhood allergies disappear later in life, a few may last forever. According to experts, children who outgrow one type of food allergy may develop a moresevere and persistent type of allergy to the same food.High vitamin D levels in pregnancy could trigger a food allergy in the baby, say researchers. Including solid food besides breast milk in a baby s diet after the 17th week of birth helps development of a stronger immune system to fight food allergies.
With inputs from IANS
Image source: Getty Images
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