Oral Immunotherapy for Food Allergic Patients

The last three months were very busy at the Center for Allergy at Assaf HaRofeh. We have been working to set up a treenut oral immunotherapy (OIT) program. Thus far twenty patients were administered separate food challenges for up to six different treenuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut). One of the complicating issues with treenut allergies is cross-reactivity. Often patients with known allergies to a given treenut also test positive by skin-prick test to others. It is unclear however, whether this cross-reactivity demonstrates true multiple allergies.  While this appears to be true of some of the patients tested thus far, others seem to have allergy to only one or two of the nuts tested. A negative oral food challenge may open dietary options that were previously avoided by a given patient.

In connection with the above, we are working on developing tests that  accurately predict the results of  food challenges. In particular, we are utilizing the basophil activation test (BAT) as performed on patient blood samples. Interestingly thus far, BAT results vary for different treenuts among our patients. An association between BAT results and particular treenut allergies remains to be determined.

Finally, several members of our staff presented posters at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology held in Los Angeles, CA. Links to the abstracts from our staff can be found in the attached document.

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• 2016 AAAAI meeting abstracts (DOCX)