Peanut allergy
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
| Peanut allergy Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | T78.4 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | V15.01 |
| DiseasesDB | 29154 |
|
WikiDoc Resources for Peanut allergy | |
|
Articles | |
|---|---|
|
Most recent articles on Peanut allergy Most cited articles on Peanut allergy | |
|
Media | |
|
Powerpoint slides on Peanut allergy | |
|
Evidence Based Medicine | |
|
Clinical Trials | |
|
Ongoing Trials on Peanut allergy at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Peanut allergy Clinical Trials on Peanut allergy at Google
| |
|
Guidelines / Policies / Govt | |
|
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Peanut allergy NICE Guidance on Peanut allergy
| |
|
Books | |
|
News | |
|
Commentary | |
|
Definitions | |
|
Patient Resources / Community | |
|
Patient resources on Peanut allergy Discussion groups on Peanut allergy Patient Handouts on Peanut allergy Directions to Hospitals Treating Peanut allergy Risk calculators and risk factors for Peanut allergy
| |
|
Healthcare Provider Resources | |
|
Causes & Risk Factors for Peanut allergy | |
|
Continuing Medical Education (CME) | |
|
International | |
|
| |
|
Businness | |
|
Experimental / Informatics | |
Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [1] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy, distinct from nut allergies. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from peanuts causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people[1]. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that peanut allergy is the most common cause of food-related death.[1]. Prevalence among adults and children is similar — around 1% — but at least one study shows it to be on the rise in children.[1] 25% of children with a peanut allergy outgrow it.[1] It is usually treated with an exclusion diet and vigilant avoidance of foods that may be contaminated with whole peanuts or peanut particles and/or oils. The most severe peanut allergies can result in anaphylaxis[1], an emergency situation requiring immediate attention and treatment with epinephrine.
Symptoms
Symptoms of peanut allergy are related to the action of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and other anaphylatoxins, which act to release histamine and other mediator substances from mast cells (degranulation). In addition to other effects, histamine induces vasodilation of arterioles and constriction of bronchioles in the lungs, also known as bronchospasm (constriction of the airways).
Symptoms can include the following:[1]
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- urticaria (hives)
- angioedema (swelling of the lips, face, throat and skin)
- acute abdominal pain
- exacerbation of atopic eczema
- asthma
- anaphylactic shock
The British Dietetic Association warns that: "If untreated, anaphylactic shock can result in death due to obstruction of the upper or lower airway (bronchospasm) or hypotension and heart failure. This happens within minutes to hours of eating the peanuts. The first symptoms may include sneezing and a tingling sensation on the lips, tongue and throat followed by pallor, feeling unwell, warm and light headed. Severe reactions may return after an apparent resolution of 1-6 hours. Asthmatics with peanut sensitivity are more likely to develop life threatening reactions."[1]
As with most allergies, avoidance is the key. All labels for foods, medicines, cosmetics, creams, and ointments should be read. A history of allergic reactions after consuming a peanut may suggest an allergy.
While several companies have developed promising drugs to counteract peanut allergies, trials have been mired in legal battles.[1]
Treatments
Food allergy experts at the Duke University Medical Center believe that an immunotherapy treatment for peanut allergies will be available to affected people within 5 years. [1] Immunotherapy would be used to treat a person's immune response to peanuts from an allergic reaction to a nonallergic response. This is great news for the parents of affected children and adults living with the allergy. The condition is actually becoming more common affecting about 1% of children in total. The number of affected people doubled between 1997 and 2002.[1]
Deaths from peanut allergy
The Centers for Disease Control reported 12 to 20 food allergy deaths in 2007 [1]. Other sources put the number of deaths from assorted food allergies at approximately 125 people in the United States.[1][1]
Peanuts are the most common source of fatal allergic reactions.
Reports of death from peanut allergy in 2008 include:
- Andrew Michael Smith (age 8) died February 2008 after he accidently came into contact with peanut allergens at home. [1]
- Carol Kiener, (age 66) died March 2008 after suffering a severe allergic reaction to peanuts.[1]
- Paul Anthony Thurston (age 30) died April 2008 after being served a peanut butter sandwich in jail.[1]
- Daniel Sargent (age 30) died July 2008 after eating a cookie that had peanut butter in it at a party. [1]
- Brian Hom II (age 18) died July 2008 after eating a dessert containing traces of peanuts while at a resort in Cabo San Lucas. [1]
- Dexter Skinner (age 16) died July 2008 after eating a chocolate bar. [1]
The 2005 death of Christina Desforges, which was initially reported as a result of exposure to peanuts, spurred many parents to speak out about the dangers of peanut butter and jam sandwiches at schools or peanut shells on the floors of restaurants.[1] However, according to a coroner's statement in March 2006, Ms. Desforges did not die of anaphylactic shock caused by a kiss from her boyfriend after he ate a peanut butter snack, but in fact died as a result of asthma-linked respiratory failure, which was triggered by tobacco smoke at a party. Research by Jennifer Maloney suggests that peanut allergens normally leave the saliva after about an hour.[2]
Allergen-Free Peanuts
On July 20, 2007, the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University announced that one of its scientists, Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna, had developed a process to make allergen-free peanuts. Initial testing showed a 100 percent inactivation of peanut allergens in whole roasted kernels, and human serums from severely allergic individuals showed no reaction when exposed to the processed peanuts. Food companies have expressed an interest in licensing the process, which purportedly does not degrade the taste or quality of treated peanuts, and even results in easier processing to use as an ingredient in food products.[1]
See also
External links
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
- The National Institutes of Health
- The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network
- medicinenet.com
- Peanut allergy: where do we stand? John Weisnagel, M.D.
- alert4allergy.org - a free service for people in Britain with food allergy.
- A discussion forum for UK peanut allergy sufferers
- The Leap Study - an NHS study into links between eczema and peanut allergy
- Peanut Allergy public discussion forums and support group
- Instant and Free Peanut Allergy Translations for food preparers, medical staff and custom officials
- N.C. A&T food scientist develops process for allergen-free peanuts
References
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
