Bacteria as treatment for allergies

[pears]

This seems promising: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/08August/Pages/Common-bacteria-could-help-prevent-food-allergies.aspx

Also here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28887088

 

The horizon documentary about research on the link between changes to our exposure to bacteria and the increase of allergies in the west was also very interesting, probably only available in the UK though? http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04g507y

Edited September 1, 2014 by pears

[pears]

The crux of the Horizon documentary was that we are ecosystems of bacteria and have evolved alongside environmental bacteria which have informed our immune systems over millenia, but lifestyle changes (such as e.g. spending a lot of time indoors) mean we no longer have the diversity of bacteria in our guts that we used to (or as do those from developing countries now, and they have signigicantly less allergies than westerners).

 

The documentary claims children delivered by C-Sections are 52% more likely to develop asthma because of the lack of bacteria encountered by the baby at birth. This is corroborated here: http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20080521/c-section-tied-to-childhood-asthma Also breast milk contains a lot of (good) bacteria which may be why breast-feeding is linked to allergy prevention http://www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/News-and-Research/Research/Allergy/Breastfeeding-reduces-risk-of-five-types-of-allergic-disease/

 

There were lots of other interesting examples: people who grow up on farms have less allergies than those who don't, children exposed to lots of antibiotics are more likely to develop allergies. Also tapeworms and other internal parasites are less common now and they are thought to suppress our immune systems, since the parasites don't want to be rejected by their hosts.

 

Some scepticism was expressed as to whether such research could result in cures for existing allergies, with the main hope being with prevention, which is why I found the story on the use of Clostridia bacteria to reverse peanut allergies so interesting. Allergies suck!

Edited September 2, 2014 by pears

[Endy0816]

gizmag has some more details:

 

Using genetic analysis to delve deeper, the team found that Clostridia prompted innate immune cells to produce high levels of interleukin-22 (IL-22), which is a signaling molecule known to decrease permeability of the intestinal lining. When antibiotic-treated mice given either IL-22 or colonized with Clostridia were exposed to peanut allergens, both exhibited reduced allergen levels in their blood compared to the control group.

 

http://www.gizmag.com/food-allergy-probiotic-therapy-gut-bacteria/33603/

 

Basically helping on the allergen front by triggering an immune system response. Some of Clostridia tend to be the most dangerous bacterial offenders. Makes sense from that perspective.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Endy0816