"Peanut allergy is becoming more common in Australian children, (as well as in US and UK children), and poses a public health issue with increased demand for medical resources", a specialist allergy physician has warned in the latest issue of the March issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (viewable online at www.jacionline.org). 

Dr Raymond Mullins, a Canberra-based clinical immunology and allergy physician, and colleagues examined the characteristics of 778 patients with confirmed peanut allergy over 13 years, from 1995 to 2007. The authors found no significant changes in the clinical features of peanut allergy.  Most peanut allergy (90%) developed by 6 years of age, and severity and age of first reaction remained unchanged. Serious allergic reactions were found to be unpredictable, with a third of subjects with dangerous allergic reactions having had previous milder reactions, although having asthma and older age of first ever reaction were both associated with a greater risk of more serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). The authors also estimated that their conservative estimate incidence of peanut allergy by the age of 6 years in ACT children had more than doubled in children born in 2004 (1.15%) compared to those born 1995 (0.47%).

"The fact that severity did not change undermines the community perception that the increase is the result of anxious parents presenting with milder cases. The increase is real, and for 80% of those affected, they will still be allergic for decades to come" said Mullins.

"Long term, we need to invest, identify and intervene".

"We call on our health care planners to invest heavily into epidemiological research to identify the factors that have led to this food allergy epidemic in the last decade. We need to identify causative factors to design preventative strategies to stem the ongoing increase, and we need encourage intervention studies to treat established disease".

"Allergic disease is a major public health issue in Australia and New Zealand, and one that government has ignored for too long. ‘Generation A' - the ‘allergy generation', has already been born. A failure to act now means that future generations will have an even higher price to pay".

The statements or opinions that are expressed reflect the views of the author and do not represent the official policy of ASCIA unless that is so stated.  

MEDIA CONTACTS

Dr Raymond Mullins

Assoc Prof Mimi Tang

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PUBLICATION

Mullins RJ, Dear K, Tang ML. Characteristics of childhood peanut allergy in the Australian Capital Territory 1995-2007. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009 March; 123 (3): DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2008.12.1116

ALLERGY FAST FACTS

• 5% of Australian children will develop food allergy by school age.
• 1% of Australian adults currently have food allergy
• There is evidence that food allergy has increased in Australia and other countries in the last decade.
• Peanut allergy is estimated to affect 2-3% of children by school age.
• In 80% of children with peanut allergy, it remains a lifelong problem.
• Allergic disease costs Australia $21 billion/year in direct and indirect medical costs, lost productivity and impact on quality of life (ASCIA-Access Economics Report, Nov 2007).

References are available upon request - email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Content Updated February 25, 2009