Peanut allergies are a serious problem, with almost every one out of 55 people suffering from the potentially fatal allergy. There have been blood tests around for a long time that can check for a peanut allergy, but they have been inaccurate at best, often giving false positives because the test cannot differentiate between a sensitivity and a true allergy. These faulty tests then lead sufferers to go through another expensive and possibly dangerous test in a controlled environment where they are exposed to the allergen to test the true body’s reaction.
Scientists now have discovered a more precise blood test to check for a peanut allergy. These blood tests are able to look closely at mast cells, which are vital to allergic reactions, to test a person’s true susceptibility. These breakthroughs will not only be much less expensive but also less intrusive and dangerous to patients, and give much more reliable results. In the future, these tests may also be able to be used for other allergens, such as milk, eggs, and tree nuts. Additionally, labs in France and the United States have been competing to find drugs to cure peanut allergies, which currently do not have any FDA approved treatments.
A simple blood test can put 98% certainty into a diagnosis of a peanut allergy. No more guessing. #HealthStatus
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Key Points:
- 1Know in only a few days if your child has an peanut allergy.
- 2Cheaper and safer way to learn how allergic to peanuts you are.
- 3New technology looks at mast cells instead of just antibodies.
See the original at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-allergy-peanut/scientists-devise-new-more-accurate-peanut-allergy-test-idUSKBN1I416W?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews
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