Oral Immunotherapy for Peanut Allergies?

Peanut allergies affect up to 1% of the U.S. population, cause a range of reactions, and account for nearly half of food allergy–related deaths. Most children do not outgrow the allergy, and presence of mild symptoms does not eliminate the possibility of more-serious future reactions. Families and children who deal with peanut allergies must be especially careful because many foods contain peanuts or are produced in factories that process peanuts in other products. Two abstracts presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology describe clinical and laboratory findings in children with peanut allergy who received oral immunotherapy with tiny incremental daily doses of peanut flour for at least 2 years in ongoing trials.

In on…