Blood test can predict allergic reaction

Described as the holy grail of ovarian cancer research, the test can detect the disease in the early stages when it is easiest to treat.

Described as the holy grail of ovarian cancer research, the test can detect the disease in the early stages when it is easiest to treat.

Published Apr 20, 2015

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London – A blood test has been developed that can predict how likely people are to have potentially fatal food allergies.

Doctors hope it can be used to flag up those in most danger of life-threatening reactions to peanuts and shellfish.

The test can also indicate allergy to milk, eggs and wheat.

Doctors normally use skin prick tests that measure levels of a protein produced by the immune system in allergy victims. But these tests cannot accurately predict the severity of reactions.

Patients can also be asked to eat a potential allergen under medical supervision but this can sometimes trigger a severe reaction, requiring a hospital stay.

Now researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York say that a simple, safe blood test can accurately predict how dangerous an allergy is.

This is done by counting the numbers of one type of immune cell, basophils, activated by exposure to a food.

The test requires only a small sample of blood and provides quick results, they report in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. However, it is currently approved only for research purposes.

One person in 50 suffers from a food allergy. In severe cases they can cause the body to go into anaphylactic shock, which can occasionally be fatal.

One child in 200 in Britain is believed to be allergic to peanuts, one of the most dangerous allergies.

A reaction can be triggered by a tiny fragment of nut, oil or even traces of peanut floating in the air.

Daily Mail

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