Allergies affect a significant portion of the population of the United States. Food allergies are the most common, accounting for 11% of adults in the US. Allergies to airborne elements in the environment, like pollen and dust, are also widespread. In children, the numbers are not far; it is estimated that 7 to 8% of children in the US have some kind of allergy.
Food Allergens
There are eight kinds of food types involved in about 90% of reported food allergies. These are:
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Milk
- Tree nuts
- Soy
- Wheat
- Shell fish
- Fish
Severe reactions to these food items result in anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. Around 30,000 emergency room cases in the US are due to food-related anaphylactic reactions.
Airborne Allergens
Aside from food, the external environment may also be a source of allergens. These environmental allergens can occur either indoors or outdoors, and common ones include the following:
- Dust mites
- Pet dander
- Pollen
Exposure to these airborne allergens can trigger a variety of allergic reactions in the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is one typical environmental allergy. This condition affects an estimated 19 million adults and 5 million children in the US every year.
Asthma attacks may also be triggered by the same environmental factors that cause allergic rhinitis (pollen, pet dander, and dust mites). When these allergens cause an asthma attack, it is known as allergy-induced asthma or allergic asthma.
Seasonal Allergies
Airborne environmental allergens tend to be seasonal, as pollen and related allergens have the highest concentrations in the spring or fall. In the United States, allergy season is present from May to July, as this is the time when trees, weeds, and grass produce the most pollen. In different regions, there may be variations as to the timing of peak allergy season for airborne allergens. This depends on the kind of vegetation present in an area. For instance, the amount of weed pollen in the air may be highest during fall in some places.
Allergy Testing
Testing for allergies is often done either through a skin prick test or IgE antibody blood tests.
The skin prick test is preferred by many doctors because of its simplicity and versatility. It can be done in the doctor’s office and takes about 15 minutes before results appear. It is used to detect allergies to a wide range of food and airborne allergens. The test involves pricking the skin with a lancet to introduce droplets of allergen extract into the patient’s skin. If the skin manifests redness and swelling, it is a positive indicator of an allergic reaction. Despite its ease of administration, skin prick testing can be occasionally painful for some patients. It may also be time-consuming.
On the other hand, IgE antibody testing can detect multiple allergies at once. This test uses a blood sample from the patient, and higher levels of IgE antibodies denote an allergic response. IgE tests may use a combined panel to test for both food and airborne allergies simultaneously.
IgE testing is better than the skin prick test because it is more efficient and cost-effective. It is also better for determining allergies in children because it is less painful and uncomfortable.
If you operate a CLIA Moderate or CLIA High Complexity Laboratory, Jant Pharmacal can provide semi- and fully automated IgE testing systems with comprehensive allergen panels. These allow your lab to perform tests for food allergies, airborne allergies, or both through combined universal panels. Jant Pharmacal also offers regional environmental allergen panels for region-specific airborne allergy profiles.
