Peanut allergy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ICD-10 | T78.4 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | V15.01 |
| DiseasesDB | 29154 |
Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy. 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<ref> National Institutes of Health, NIAID Allergy Statistics 2005 http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/allergystat.htm</ref>. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that the majority of pediatric and adult food allergy patients have a peanut allergy<ref> “Allergy Facts and Figures,” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=20&cont=517</ref>. It occurs mainly, but not exclusively, in children. 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 allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis<ref> National Report of the Expert Panel on Food Allergy Research, NIH-NIAID 2003 http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/organization/dait/PDF/june30_2003.pdf</ref> and is an emergency situation requiring immediate attention and treatment with Epinephrine.
Some peanut allergy symptoms include: atopic dermatitis (eczema), urticaria (hives), asthma, anaphylactic shock, and various swellings of the digestive tracts.
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.<ref>highbeam.com</ref>
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