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April 17, 2006

Peanut Allergy Risk Associated with Exposure to Peanut in Infancy

Exposure to peanut during infancy promotes sensitization, but low levels may protect atopic children, according to a new study presented today at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Adam T. Fox, MD, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom, and colleagues hypothesized that peanut sensitization occurs as a result of exposure. The study was a survey of children with suspected peanut allergy and also looked to see what affect early exposure to peanuts had on the children for later allergy. Questions on the survey ranged from how much peanut the mother ate during pregnancy to how much peanut was eaten by other family members during the child's first year of life. Exposure was compared in three groups of children of the same age: Children with peanut allergy, children with egg allergy but not peanut sensitized and non-allergic children. The average weekly peanut consumption for the allergic children was 77.2g, while the totally non-allergic children averaged 29.1g.

The study concluded that exposure to peanuts during infancy promotes sensitization, and that low levels may protect atopic children. In addition, researchers didn't observe any signs that mothers eating peanuts during pregnancy or breast feeding lead to the children developing the allergy.

source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

Posted by David at April 17, 2006 8:45 AM