Did Bone Marrow Transplant Cure Peanut Allergy?

Unusual case report details how 10-year-old boy was treated for leukemia and lost sensitivity to peanuts

Bone marrow transplants may help cure peanut allergies.  The study involved a 10-year-old boy who no longer had a peanut allergy after undergoing a bone marrow transplant for leukemia.

"It has been reported that bone marrow and liver transplants can transfer peanut allergy from donor to recipient," study author Dr. Yong Luo said in a news release from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). "But our research found a rare case in which a transplant seems to have cured the recipient of their allergy."

The case involved a boy who was diagnosed with a peanut allergy when he was 15 months old. He had the bone marrow transplant at age 10 and received his new marrow from a donor with no known allergies. Soon after the transplant, it appeared that the boy no longer had a peanut allergy. That discovery was confirmed by allergists through an oral food challenge, in which the boy ate a small amount of peanut and showed no allergic reaction.

The research was scheduled for presentation this week at the ACAAI annual meeting in Baltimore. Study co-author Dr. Steven Weiss said this and previous research indicates that "genetic modification during the early stages of immune cell development in bone marrow may play a large role in causing allergy."

Peanut allergy is the most common food allergy among school-aged children in the United States, affecting about 400,000 youngsters, according to the ACAAI. Unlike milk or soy allergies, peanut allergies tend to last a lifetime.

Even if a parent thinks their child may no longer have an allergy, proper testing should be done to confirm if the child is still sensitive to any particular allergens, according to the ACAAI.

Hypoallergenic Dogs Not Allergy-Proof

Although they've long been considered an allergy sufferer's best friend, so-called hypoallergenic dogs do not have lower household allergen levels than other dogs, according to a new study that measured allergen levels in babies' nurseries.

Dog breeds classified as "hypoallergenic" are believed to produce less dander and saliva and shed less fur. Researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital (HFH) in Detroit put this theory to the test by measuring environmental allergen levels in the houses of 173 dog owners one month after a newborn baby was brought home.

Researchers collected dust samples from the carpet or floor of each baby's bedroom and measured the levels of the dog allergen Can f 1. Only homes with one dog per family were involved in the study, and 60 dog breeds were analyzed overall, 11 of which are considered hypoallergenic dogs.

"We found no scientific basis to the claim hypoallergenic dogs have less allergen," said Christine Cole Johnson, chair of HFH's Department of Public Health Sciences and senior author of the study.

Dogs are often classified as hypoallergenic using one of four "schemes" based on their breed in order to compare allergen levels. Scheme A compares purebred hypoallergenic dogs to purebred non-hypoallergenic dogs, while scheme B compares purebred and mixed breed dogs with at least one hypoallergenic parent to purebred non-hypoallergenic dogs.

Scheme C compares purebred and mixed breed dogs with at least one hypoallergenic parent to purebred and mixed breed dogs with no known hypoallergenic component, and scheme D compares only purebred dogs identified as hypoallergenic by the American Kennel Club to all other dogs.

The study showed that all four schemes yielded no significant differences in allergen levels between hypoallergenic dogs and non-hypoallergenic dogs. In fact, in homes where the dog was not allowed in the baby's bedroom, the allergen level for hypoallergenic dogs was slightly higher compared to allergen levels of non-hypoallergenic dogs.

"Based on previous allergy studies conducted here at Henry Ford, exposure to a dog early in life provides protection against dog allergy development," Cole Johnson added. "But the idea that you can buy a certain breed of dog and think it will cause less allergy problems for a person already dog-allergic is not borne out by our study."

Allergy Shots Decrease Anxiety, Depression

Stinging insects are everywhere making them nearly inescapable. The thought of being stung can cause depression and anxiety for the two million Americans that are allergic to their venom.

But according to a study, allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, can improve quality of life for these sufferers. Allergy shots are the only allergy treatment known to modify and prevent disease progression, and can be life-saving for those allergic to insect stings. Researchers have found this type of treatment also decreases anxiety and depression in those allergic to wasp, bee and ant stings.

Insect stings send more than 500,000 Americans to hospital emergency rooms and cause at least 50 known deaths each year. A person who has had an allergic reaction to insect sting has a 60 % chance of having another similar or worse reaction if stung again. Immunotherapy has been shown to be an astonishing 97 % effective in preventing future allergy to insect stings.

Fresh Air to Combat Allergies

New research has found that we may actually be able to reverse allergies, even in adulthood. The fix may be as simple as taking a trip to the country.

For 15 years, researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark followed nearly 1,200 people who were bound for jobs in either farming or the army. They tested the subjects' sensitivities to common allergens at the study's beginning and end while also following where they lived and worked. What they found was that people who worked on farms in adulthood were less likely to become sensitive to allergens. People who moved from urban to rural environments showed the greatest benefit, but there was also a positive effect seen in farmers who had a farm upbringing.

Why the change? Researchers think that the diversity of microbes and bacteria on farms may help people's immune systems develop a more appropriate tolerance against allergens. "It doesn't protect you from allergies to stay away from all allergens," says Grethe Elholm, a post-doc at Aarhus University and co-author of this study. "It actually seems to help to be exposed to a lot more of many different things because your immune system needs to work out." Still, the research is fairly preliminary, and follow-up studies are expected. So it may be best for those with bad allergies to tread lightly in highly pollinated places.

Antihistamines in pregnancy and risk of birth defects

Antihistamines are a group of medications that are used to treat various conditions, including allergies and nausea and vomiting. Some antihistamines require a prescription, but most are available over-the-counter (OTC), and both prescription and OTC antihistamines are often used by women during pregnancy. Until recently, little information was available to women and their health care providers on the possible risks and relative safety of these medications in pregnancy, particularly when it came to specific birth defects.

A new study from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center, based on interviews with more than 20,000 new mothers, now provides important information for many of these medicines. The researchers considered antihistamines that had been suggested in earlier studies to increase risks of certain defects, and they also considered other possible risks that might not have been identified in the past. Where there was sufficient information in the study data, the authors found no evidence to support suggestions of risk that had been found in earlier studies. In considering possible risks that had not been identified by others, the investigators found very few suggestions that any given medicine might be linked to an increase risk of a specific birth defect, and though these few deserve further research attention, these findings may have been due to chance.

Dr. Allen Mitchell, the study's director, noted that "we were fortunate that our study was able to consider commonly-used antihistamines that were available OTC as well as those available only with a prescription. While our findings provide reassurance about the relative safety of many of these medications in relation to a number of common birth defects, more information is needed. As is the case for all types of medications, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should consult with their health care provider before taking any medicines, whether they are prescribed or OTC."

New Treatment for Common Allergies

There are two treatments, one for grass allergy, which is commonly known as hay fever, and the other for dust mite allergy. They are expected to be helpful for the millions of people who, as a reaction to grass pollen or the tiny bugs that live in house dust, have sneezing, itching eyes and a running nose that often significantly impacts their productivity at school or work.

The two studies were conducted by Adiga Life Sciences, a joint venture between McMaster University and Circassia, a U.K. based biotechnology company, and was supported by St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.
It is estimated that together, these allergens are responsible for more than 50% of allergic respiratory disease.

Between 15 and 25 per cent of the population in North America and Europe is sensitive to pollen from different grass species. One in four people is sensitized to house dust mites, more than any other common allergen, which includes millions of people in these regions. The treatments are from a new class of therapy, known as 'synthetic peptide immuno-regulatory epitopes', or SPIREs.

The 280 patients in the phase two clinical trial for the grass allergy treatment recorded their allergy symptoms while exposed to grass pollen in a controlled environment, both before treatment and at the end of the hay fever season. Study participants received one of three treatment regimens over three months, completed prior to the beginning of the pollen season. Those who had the optimal short course of therapy had significantly improved symptoms at the end of the season, compared to those who had a placebo. This treatment, called Grass-SPIRE, was well tolerated.

During the clinical trial for the dust mite treatment, 172 patients who received four doses of the treatment over 12 weeks had significantly improved allergy symptoms a year after the start of treatment, compared to patients who received a placebo. The treatment, called HDM-SPIRE, was well tolerated.
"This result is an important validation of the approach we are taking to treat allergic diseases," said Mark Larché, who led the design of the treatments. "Positive results, first with a cat allergy therapy and now with house dust mite and grass allergy treatments, suggest that this approach may be used for many common allergies."

Larché is a professor of medicine of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster and member of the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.
Hay fever is a seasonal response to many different grass pollens which are heaviest in the spring and fall.
Dust mites are close relatives of spiders and ticks and are too small to see without a microscope. They eat skin cells shed by people, and they thrive in warm, humid environments. Upholstered furniture, bedding and carpeting provide an ideal environment for dust mites.

Control fall allergies

Although many people associate allergy season with the onset of spring, fall can also wreak havoc with allergy sufferers. This year, instead of suffering under mounds of tissues or resorting to over-the-counter or even worse yet, prescribed medications or allergy shots, discover the relief that natural remedies can bring.

Fall allergy triggers

During both spring and fall, pollen is a common allergy trigger. Male plants that begin to pollinate during August, often continue this process into the fall season. The biggest offender is ragweed. A great number of people allergic to spring pollen are also allergic to ragweed. Moreover, the wind can carry ragweed pollen for hundreds of miles, so this offender may not necessarily come from your own back yard.

Another offender not to be overlooked is mold. Mold spores can easily become airborne, putting us at risk. Mold grows in damp areas, indoors and outdoors. A common place for mold growth is in those leaves that fall from trees during this season. Piles of damp leaves are perfect breeding grounds for mold.

Dust mites are another danger. Although dust mites are mostly present during humid summer months, they can be stirred up and become airborne when the furnace is first used on a cool fall night.

In certain parts of the country, fall allergens can also include goldenrod, curly dock, lamb's quarters, pigweed, sheep sorrel, and sagebrush.

Ways to control allergens

• Avoid contact with allergens as much as possible. Keep your house well ventilated, making sure that your filtration system is up to date.
• Rake those fallen leaves in your back yard in a timely manner.
• A natural diet containing antioxidants and omega-3 essential fatty acids will help to detox the body, thereby strengthening the immune system.
• Many people find significant allergy relief by consuming local, raw, organic honey.

Various nutrients, herbs and other supplements can support your immune system, minimizing or eliminating allergy attacks

• Colloidal silver provides immune support to the body, lessening or eliminating allergic reaction. It is also instrumental in preventing infections that can occur with prolonged or severe allergies.
• Butterbur taken four times a day is as effective as over-the-counter medications, without any adverse side effects.
• Quercetin stabilizes cells and prevents the release of histamines.
• Omega-3 fatty acids. People who eat a high content of Omega-3 fatty acids are more likely to resist allergy symptoms.
• Probiotics helps support the body's natural terrain and strengthens the immune system.
• Cayenne, ginger, onions, and garlic are effective allergy treatments.
• Use stinging nettle leaf at the first sign of an allergy.
• Fortify your body with vitamins C and E to strengthen your immune system.

Lastly, keep your body hydrated with plenty of water. It is important to replace those fluids that are being expelled from the body.

Six tips for easy breathing

1. Boost the immune system - When we talk about allergies, boosting the immune system is integral to relief. Eliminate things that can weaken the immune system such as high sugar and refined foods. Substitute, instead, nutritional ammo such as carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, garlic and broccoli. Wallop stress with prayer, meditation, deep breathing techniques, massage, acupuncture and going for a walk in nature.

2. Elimination diets - Underlying food sensitivities can trigger the same post-nasal drip, runny nose, and sinusitis symptoms as environmental allergies. Elimination diets are fairly simple. Cut out the most common culprits, which include dairy, wheat, eggs and soy. At the end of two weeks, you will know if food sensitivities are involved by a vast improvement or resolution of your symptoms. Add one food group at a time back into your diet every three days until you identify the offender

3. Optimize gut health - Many of our immune system challenges are caused by an underlying gut dysfunction. These problems can begin in the stomach with inadequate enzyme and acid production. Food that has not been digested properly then makes its way into the intestines to rot, putrefy and ferment. Not a pretty situation. Hence, our resident gut flora do not flourish well, setting up the stage for dysbiosis, unwanted and unhealthy bacteria, fungi and parasites, and leaky gut. These conditions pave the way for allergies and multiple sensitivities. Correction of this problem begins by supplementing with enzyme and acid support for the stomach and probiotics for the intestines. Some dietary changes may be necessary if there is yeast or fungal overgrowth.

4. A healthy life demands a healthy liver - The liver is responsible for metabolizing all of the histamine that is being released by numerous cells in the body. When the liver is distressed or congested the removal of histamine and other offending substances is backed up, worsening our allergy symptoms. A distressed liver may not show up in blood work until it is 80 percent compromised. Functional questionnaires may be helpful in uncovering liver distress. Eliminating or reducing unnecessary drugs, alcohol, caffeine and environmental stressors needs to be considered. Feeding the liver cruciferous vegetables, beet greens and milk thistle helps in restoring function to the liver.

5. Healthy adrenals - Your adrenal glands function as the braking system for your immune system by secreting cortisol to keep the immune response from going unrestrained. Common symptoms of adrenal dysfunction include lack of energy, fatigue, sleep disturbances, muscle and joint pain, migraines, low sex drive, chronic stress and poor memory. Adrenal function can be easily assessed with saliva testing. If adrenal dysfunction exists, caffeine and sugar need to be eliminated from the diet. Foods and whole food supplements rich in the B and C complexes nourish the adrenals. Supportive herbs include licorice, rehmannia, rhodiola and Korean ginseng.

6. Move well and rest well - There are numerous studies and testimonials that regular exercise can improve or help resolve seasonal allergies. Exercise helps to burn off accumulated stress that taxes the adrenals, liver, gut and immune system. Regular exercise can improve the function of these systems. Likewise, adequate sleep is necessary to help these systems regenerate and recharge.

Egg Allergic Children Now Have No Barriers to Flu Shot

 All children should have flu shots, even if they have an egg allergy, and it's now safe to get them without special precautions.

The current recommendation from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is to observe children allergic to eggs for 30 minutes after a flu shot. Also to have the shot under the care of a primary care provider, if the reaction to eating eggs is only hives, or an allergist, if the reaction to eating eggs is more serious.

However, "In a large number of research studies published over the last several years, thousands of egg allergic children, including those with a severe life-threatening reaction to eating eggs, have received injectable influenza vaccine (IIV) as a single dose without a reaction" said allergist John Kelso, MD, fellow of the ACAAI.

This update, endorsed by the AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters, concludes that based upon the available data, "Special precautions regarding medical setting and waiting periods after administration of IIV to egg-allergic recipients beyond those recommended for any vaccine are not warranted. For IIV, language that describes egg-allergic recipients as being at increased risk compared with non-egg-allergic recipients or requiring special precautions should be removed from guidelines and product labeling."

"The benefits of the flu vaccination far outweigh any risk," said Dr. Kelso. "As with any vaccine, all personnel and facilities administering flu shots should have procedures in place for the rare instance of anaphylaxis, a severe life-threatening allergic reaction. If you have questions or concerns, contact your allergist."

Egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children. By age 16, about 70 percent of children outgrow their egg allergy. Most allergic reactions to egg involve the skin. In fact, egg allergy is the most common food allergy in babies and young children with eczema.

Further, the flu is responsible for the hospitalization of more than 21,100 children under the age of five annually, yet only two thirds of children receive the vaccination each year. Some go unvaccinated because of egg allergy.

ACAAI also advises the more than 25.7 million Americans with asthma to receive the flu vaccination. Because the flu and asthma are both respiratory conditions, asthmatics may experience more frequent and severe asthma attacks while they have the flu.

Fixing allergy barriers

Anyone with allergies should ask the question: "why do I have allergies?" Allergies are the sign of dysfunction in the body and allergies are not normal. Most people spend their time and money treating the allergy symptoms while the causes go untreated. That's a win for Big Pharma companies who are in the business of selling symptom treatments that mask the symptoms (sometimes) but leave a trail of toxic misery and side effects. Allergy medications work by causing malfunction in a normal body process.

What are allergies?

One type of allergy symptoms are caused by a white blood cell reaction called an Immunoglobulin E (IgE) reaction. This kind of reaction results in immediate hives, swelling, breathing problems and even deadly anaphylactic shock. True IgE immune reactions can kill you soon and sometimes require emergency medical intervention.

Another type of reaction that is called and allergy but is not a true allergy is a sensitivity. Sensitivities are an Immunoglobulin G (IgG) reaction. IgG sensitivities can take 24 to 72 hours to show up. Something you came in contact with or ate up to three days ago could be kicking your allergy symptoms today. If this is something you are eating daily, like wheat, dairy, or sugar, there could be a neverending symptom response.

Allergy barriers

Allergy barriers separate the inside of our bodies from the outside world. Our basic allergy barriers are the skin, lining of the respiratory system and the lining of the GI tract. These first-line allergy barriers are supposed to only let elements like nutrition, oxygen and water in. Compromise barrier function and toxins and pathogens enter. Food sensitivities may only be a symptom of an intestinal compromise. Remove the offending food and you successfully treat the symptom, heal the lining of the intestines and you actually cure the cause of the symptoms.

Treat respiratory allergy symptoms by drinking at least half the body weight in ounces of water daily. Adequate water intake is critical for barrier control. Dehydration causes allergy barriers to fail. Maintaining bedroom humidity at 40-45 percent all night will prevent mucous membranes in the air pathways and lungs from drying out while sleeping. Air filter systems remove allergenic particulates before they get a chance to enter the respiratory system.

Treat digestive allergy symptoms with digestive and pancreatic enzymes, sufficient stomach acid and a healthy intestinal bacteria balance. Candida overgrowth is a fungus that eats holes in the intestinal barrier allowing partially processed food particles to cross into the blood stream, bringing food sensitivities. Removing candida from the intestines and restoring the intestinal barrier brings relief from many food allergy symptoms.

Treat skin allergy symptoms with adequate water intake and essential fatty acids found if fish oils. Metabolites in fish oils are critical for buffering allergic responses and maintaining skin, respiratory and intestinal barrier functions. There is also a critical bio-film in all outer cells in the skin, lungs and intestines that is damaged with antibacterial soaps, chemical inhalants and antibiotics. Using natural soaps, cleaning products and taking probiotic supplements all help defeat allergy symptoms.

Solutions to allergies

To control allergies, conventional medicine typically gives either toxic drugs or allergy shots with as many as two shots a week for up to three years or more with a meager 40 percent success rate and around 20 deaths per year. Alternative to this is NEAT (Natural Elimination of Allergy Treatment) to alleviate both IgE and IgG reactions in as few as 4-5 visits with no shots and an 87 percent rating of "good to excellent" and no deaths. But neither of these methods works without good allergy barrier functions.