| In many homes across the country lurks a health | | some muscles, such as those in the airways, to contract. |
| danger cunningly disguised as a fluffy ball of fun. | | This can lead to the wheezing that some people |
| While pets bring happiness to many, for those owners | | experience. |
| who are allergic, they can spell misery. Furthermore, | | The most common treatment for allergies is in the |
| the number of sufferers is on the increase. | | form of anti-histamine drugs. As their name suggests, |
| ABOUT ONE IN THREE PEOPLE in the UK will | | these drugs work by binding to histamine receptors. |
| experience an allergy-related problem in their lifetime. | | Anti-histamine drugs look similar enough to real |
| Up to 10% of the population are allergic to their pets, | | histamine to be able to compete against it in order to |
| with cats being the number-one culprit. There is one | | attach to the histamine receptors, but different enough |
| obvious solution to the problem, but many people | | that, once they have replaced histamine, they are |
| would rather suffer from sniffles, sneezes and itchy | | unable to trigger the allergic response. |
| eyes than get rid of their four-legged family member. | | Unfortunately, antihistamines are not always |
| Contrary to popular belief, pet allergies are not to | | effective and, like all drugs, they are not without side |
| the fur itself but rather to molecules of protein (called | | effects. The early drugs caused serious drowsiness. |
| allergens) that coat the fur and usually come from the | | Newer versions are much safer but people often forget |
| animal’s urine, skin glands, or the microscopic skin | | to take their daily dose. |
| cells (called dander) which they continuously shed. | | In some cases, treatment can involve anti-allergy |
| They are also present in the saliva, which is why the | | injections. Allergy shots work by continually exposing |
| fastidious cat is the worst offender. Keeping your pet | | the body’s immune system to the allergen until it builds |
| clean can help reduce exposure but the allergens are | | up a resistance. However, injections only work against |
| produced continuously and can never be completely | | one specific allergen and have to be continued on a |
| eliminated. | | monthly basis. |
| When an allergic person first comes into contact | | BUT A NEW HOPE IS ON THE HORIZON. An |
| with an animal, the allergen from the animal causes the | | allergy vaccine could give a permanent cure. The |
| sufferer’s body to produce large amounts of an | | vaccine is being developed by Resistentia, a Swedish |
| antibody called IgE. Antibodies are part of the body’s | | pharmaceutical company. It stimulates the body’s |
| natural defence system. They are usually involved in | | immune system to completely destroy its own IgE |
| recognising and sticking to foreign invaders. In this | | antibody: without IgE, most allergic responses will |
| case, as well as sticking to the allergenic animal | | simply not occur. The company claims the vaccine will |
| protein, IgE attaches to some of the body’s own cells, | | be effective against pet allergies as well as hay fever |
| called mast cells. These are common in those areas of | | and other common allergies and will require just a few |
| the body that react most strongly in allergic reactions: | | treatments a year. |
| notably the nose, throat, lungs and skin. | | “A vaccine lies some years in the future, but we are |
| The over-production of IgE means that a large | | very pleased with the current results,” says Professor |
| reservoir of the antibody, already stuck to the mast | | Lars Hellman, whose research group at Uppsala |
| cells, will be ready the next time the sufferer | | University in Sweden is working closely with |
| encounters the pet protein. In the subsequent exposure, | | Resistentia. “If we can succeed also in coming clinical |
| the allergen will again attach to IgE. The IgE in turn | | trials, it will mean a major scientific breakthrough, and |
| causes the mast cells to release a number of chemicals | | it will mean that allergy-sufferers will obtain help in a |
| including histamines. | | completely new way.” |
| IT IS HISTAMINES that are responsible for many | | As with all medical treatments the vaccine does not |
| of the symptoms of an allergic reaction such as itching, | | come without a cost. In this case, it may mean an end |
| a watery nose and problems breathing. They work by | | to exotic holidays. This is because IgE’s natural role in |
| increasing the permeability of blood vessels, causing | | the body seems to be defending against parasitic |
| fluid to leak out into the surrounding area, leading to | | infections. Such infections are rare in industrialised |
| swelling and itching. | | northern countries but common in the developing |
| Histamines also trigger other cells to release further | | world. But for those torn between getting rid of a |
| chemicals, which in turn cause allergy symptoms, thus | | beloved pet and enduring the misery of allergy it may |
| setting in motion a chain reaction. They also cause | | well be a price worth paying. |
