Allergy Diagnostics

An allergic reaction is an exaggerated immune response to certain normally harmless environmental substances (allergens).
The antibody involved is allergen specific immunoglobulins E (sIgE).

The symptoms of an allergy can be mild to severe and in some cases acute life-threatening. Depending on the specific allergy, symptoms can appear either seasonal, around the time of the corresponding pollen flight, or year-round, as with allergy to house dust mites. There are several different symptoms of an allergic reaction which can occur in different parts of the body. The most frequent symptoms are: hay fever (rhinitis), conjunctivitis, hives (urticaria), allergic asthma and as the most dangerous manifestation anaphylaxis (the anaphylactic shock).

The allergens causing type I hypersensitivity reactions are mostly proteins derived from the natural environment e.g. plant pollen, animal hair, food, mites and insect venoms. The reason for allergic reactions is still not resolved. But the number has increased over the last decades especially in industrialized countries.

There are different hypotheses which factors can be responsible for the increase of allergic reactions. Already proved is the influence of the genetic factor. This means children which parents are either both or just one allergic have an increased allergy risk.

Further more there are lot of factors in discussion which possibly can increase the chance of getting an allergy. For example hygiene factors, increased enviromental pollution, smoking, stress, changed diet, changed life style and a lot more.
But a final conclusion is up till now not found.