DEVELOPMENT OF PEANUT ALLERGY
Peanut allergies are one of the most prevalent food allergies, along with egg, milk, tree nut, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy [8a]. The exact cause of the development of peanut allergies is still unknown. Studies have showed a positive correlation between mothers eating peanuts during pregnancy and lowered occurrence of peanut allergy in the offspring [1,2]. However, this is contradicted by studies that found no apparent effect of maternal peanut consumption on allergy development [3,5]. This second study indicates that sensitization occurs as a result of an infant’s environmental exposure to the allergen and has no links to the mother’s diet. There are also conflicting studies regarding whether early or delayed …show more content…
One theory looks at the way in which peanuts are prepared and found that the high temperatures used to roast peanuts, 180oC, can lead to stabilization and increased allergenicity [4]. Another theory suggests that emulsified peanuts, found in foods such as peanut butter, can have an adjuvant effect [8a]. In China, where there is a lower rate of peanut allergy, peanuts are more often boiled or fried resulting in the allergens becoming unstable [9]. These theories can be translated to other allergies such as milk or eggs. Studies have shown that 70-80% of individuals with allergies to these products can consume baked forms of the proteins as these have been heat-denatured [10]. The unbaked forms of the foods react and induce an IgE response unlike the baked forms. This suggests that the IgE antibodies produced by the body are for a certain form of the allergen proteins. It is important to remember that not all peanut-sensitized children develop a peanut allergy. Although sensitivity results in the production of IgE, it does not necessarily indicate a clinical allergy …show more content…
One of the more abstract causes is exercise. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis usually only occurs after submaximal exercise for a relatively short duration [18]. In all people, exercise leads to an increase in the number of circulating lymphocytes, monocytes, natural killer cells and proinflammatory cytokines [17]. However, in healthy individuals cytokine inhibitors and anti-inflammatory cytokines are also released. It is thought that this, along with some sort of IgE response is linked to the onset of exercise-induced anaphylaxis, although the exact mechanisms are still not known. In exercised-induced anaphylaxis, food can act as a co-trigger however anaphylaxis can also be induced in the absence of food [16]. The immune cells sensitized to the food allergens are innocuous until they are redistributed around the body. Exercise triggers the redistribution of immune cells from the spleen into the central circulation where they can interact with the causal food allergens [17]. In food-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis, exercise and the food allergen are dangerous when in combination but can be tolerated by the individual separately [16]. Management for exercise-induced anaphylaxis includes avoidance of co-triggers such as food, medication and high pollen counts before and during exercise [8b]. Like sufferers of anaphylaxis induced form peanut consumption, exercised-induced anaphylaxis
Peanut allergies are one of the most prevalent food allergies, along with egg, milk, tree nut, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy [8a]. The exact cause of the development of peanut allergies is still unknown. Studies have showed a positive correlation between mothers eating peanuts during pregnancy and lowered occurrence of peanut allergy in the offspring [1,2]. However, this is contradicted by studies that found no apparent effect of maternal peanut consumption on allergy development [3,5]. This second study indicates that sensitization occurs as a result of an infant’s environmental exposure to the allergen and has no links to the mother’s diet. There are also conflicting studies regarding whether early or delayed …show more content…
One theory looks at the way in which peanuts are prepared and found that the high temperatures used to roast peanuts, 180oC, can lead to stabilization and increased allergenicity [4]. Another theory suggests that emulsified peanuts, found in foods such as peanut butter, can have an adjuvant effect [8a]. In China, where there is a lower rate of peanut allergy, peanuts are more often boiled or fried resulting in the allergens becoming unstable [9]. These theories can be translated to other allergies such as milk or eggs. Studies have shown that 70-80% of individuals with allergies to these products can consume baked forms of the proteins as these have been heat-denatured [10]. The unbaked forms of the foods react and induce an IgE response unlike the baked forms. This suggests that the IgE antibodies produced by the body are for a certain form of the allergen proteins. It is important to remember that not all peanut-sensitized children develop a peanut allergy. Although sensitivity results in the production of IgE, it does not necessarily indicate a clinical allergy …show more content…
One of the more abstract causes is exercise. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis usually only occurs after submaximal exercise for a relatively short duration [18]. In all people, exercise leads to an increase in the number of circulating lymphocytes, monocytes, natural killer cells and proinflammatory cytokines [17]. However, in healthy individuals cytokine inhibitors and anti-inflammatory cytokines are also released. It is thought that this, along with some sort of IgE response is linked to the onset of exercise-induced anaphylaxis, although the exact mechanisms are still not known. In exercised-induced anaphylaxis, food can act as a co-trigger however anaphylaxis can also be induced in the absence of food [16]. The immune cells sensitized to the food allergens are innocuous until they are redistributed around the body. Exercise triggers the redistribution of immune cells from the spleen into the central circulation where they can interact with the causal food allergens [17]. In food-dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis, exercise and the food allergen are dangerous when in combination but can be tolerated by the individual separately [16]. Management for exercise-induced anaphylaxis includes avoidance of co-triggers such as food, medication and high pollen counts before and during exercise [8b]. Like sufferers of anaphylaxis induced form peanut consumption, exercised-induced anaphylaxis