title: OPINION: Primary prevention of allergy - Will it soon become a reality?
abstract: It is generally accepted that allergic diseases are not curable and not preventable, but mainly controllable using pharmacotherapy (i.e. symptomatic medication). Recent research, however, demonstrated that a number of specific interventions can lead to (partial) primary prevention of allergy, especially of atopic dermatitis (AD) and food allergy (FA). Three types of primary prevention strategies have been successfully studied: early administration of bacterial products (most studies are on probiotics), early moisturizing in infants at risk for AD and early exposure to allergenic foods (peanut and egg). Results of these studies indicate that the stage might have been set. Surely, much more research needs to be carried out before advice can be given in clinical practice. This opinion article discusses the three types of beneficial interventions and gives ideas for future research, which might show the way for better strategies in primary prevention of allergic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Allergy, Children's Medical Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hugo P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Van Bever
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Allergy, Children's Medical Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Sowmya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Allergy, Children's Medical Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Lynette P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Shek
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Allergy, Children's Medical Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Bee-Wah
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D056692:Prebiotics; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D063465:Skin Cream / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058616:Synbiotics
chemical_list: D056692:Prebiotics
keywords: allergy; eczema; food allergy; immunotherapy; opinion; prevention; primary prevention