Why More Allergic Reactions?
In addition to investigating the substances that cause allergies, scientists have been asking why more people have been developing allergies–and particularly severe ones–to peanuts and other environmental factors in recent years. Two good theories currently under scientific consideration are (1) a lack of allergen stimulation in a cleaner and less allergen-loaded environment leads to greater sensitivity, as suggested in the September 19, 2002 New England Journal of Medicine and (2) a reduction in childhood infections is causing a more sensitive population, since children who have had type 1 infections in their first two years of life are less likely to have the type 2 response to later allergic challenges. That theory was explored in the British Medical Journal in April 2001. While scientists continue to investigate genetic modifications that will reduce or eliminate incidents of anaphylaxis, peanuts for now remain a deadly threat to many people.
