BARCELONA, Spain, June 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Over 7,000 researchers and physicians from almost 100 countries have registered for the 34^th Annual Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) held in Barcelona (Spain) on 6-10 June.

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Pollen season and climate change 

Grass pollen is the major cause of allergic sensitisations to outdoor allergens all over Europe.^[1]  Research conducted by Prof. Jeroen Buters, ZAUM-Center of Allergy  & Environment, Helmholtz Center Munich/Technische Universität München, has contributed to our understanding on how global climate change has affected the duration and distribution of grass pollen allergen, and suggested the need to consider molecular aerobiology in addition to counting pollen for the assessment of exposure to airborne allergens.

Bacteria: friends or foes? 

Although some of the bacteria living in the human body can cause infections, we could not live without some others because they play an important role in the functioning of the metabolic or immune system. For this reason they can be considered both friends and foes, pointed out Prof.  Liam O'Mahony, Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research, University of Zurich (Switzerland).

He has explained that a healthy immune response to bacteria involves the activation of cells that fight the infection, but there is also activation of regulatory cells that dampen down the immune response so that it does not damage the tissue or organ involved. These regulatory cells, stimulated by exposure to bacteria, can also dampen down the immune responses that cause allergy or autoimmune diseases.

Challenging maternal beliefs 

Medical psychologist Dr Audrey Dunn  Galvin, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University College Cork (Ireland), states that food allergy in a child poses challenges to parents, only fragments of which are revealed to clinicians. For some parents, however, not effectively managing food allergy is linked to ways of thinking or beliefs rather than the lack of knowledge.

A new study^[2] led by Prof. Gideon Lack, Kings College London provides proof that the early introduction of peanuts dramatically decreases the risk of developing a peanut allergy by a staggering 70-80%.

1. BUTERS ET AL. Variation of the group 5 grass pollen allergen content of airborne pollen in relation to geographic location and time in season. J. ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 2015

2. LEAP (Learning Early about Peanut allergy). Immune Tolerance Network. Available at http://www.leapstudy.co.uk/

SOURCE EAACI