In the last decades, IgE-mediated allergic diseases have become a major public health problem as already one-quarter of the population in industrialized countries is affected and prevalence is further rising. Allergy comprises a wide range of disease manifestations such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis or chronic asthma following exposure to airborne allergens as well as potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis after ingestion of different foods and drugs or stings from venomous insects. So far, treatment mostly relies on disease-modifying drugs. The only potentially curative treatment is allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT), which however is not yet available for all allergic patients. The management of food-allergic patients still relies on a strict avoidance diet and the provision of emergency medications in case of accidental uptake of the allergenic food. Moreover, the success of AIT depends on an accurate allergy diagnosis that aims at identifying the primary allergen source, risk factors for disease severity and ideally is able to predict therapeutic success. Preventive strategies are urgently needed in order to stop the rise of allergic diseases.
Although the mechanisms of AIT are not completely understood, several approaches aiming at enhancing therapeutic efficacy have been developed or are in the scientific pipeline. Amongst others, these therapeutic concepts include the use of novel adjuvants and other substances with immunomodulatory properties, recombinant engineered allergens or novel routes of application. An important and challenging topic is the development of advanced preventive strategies that are able to induce immunological tolerance to allergens before disease manifestation. Moreover, novel diagnostic concepts including component-resolved IgE-diagnosis, single- and multiplex testing or basophil activation testing play an important role in precisely diagnosing and treating allergies. Additionally, biomarkers that allow predicting severe reactions or therapeutic success are strongly needed for patient stratification and optimal therapeutic intervention.
In this Research Topic, we welcome Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods Articles and Original Articles that deal with current state-of-the-art concepts, the latest developments and further perspectives in therapy and diagnosis of allergic diseases. Moreover, actual basic research topics that help to understand the mechanisms of allergy and immunological tolerance and, thus, will help to develop future preventive, therapeutic and diagnostic strategies are highly welcome. More specifically, topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Adjuvants, immunomodulators, recombinant allergens and novel routes for allergen immunotherapy
• Biologicals such as antibodies for the treatment of allergy
• Personalized therapy concepts
• Preventive strategies for allergy development, new findings from epidemiologic studies
• Biomarkers in allergy; biomarkers for severe reactions and therapeutic success
• Antibody-allergen interaction; role in disease progression or tolerance induction
• Novel diagnostic approaches; component-resolved diagnostics, single- and multiplex testing; basophil activation testing
In the last decades, IgE-mediated allergic diseases have become a major public health problem as already one-quarter of the population in industrialized countries is affected and prevalence is further rising. Allergy comprises a wide range of disease manifestations such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis or chronic asthma following exposure to airborne allergens as well as potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis after ingestion of different foods and drugs or stings from venomous insects. So far, treatment mostly relies on disease-modifying drugs. The only potentially curative treatment is allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT), which however is not yet available for all allergic patients. The management of food-allergic patients still relies on a strict avoidance diet and the provision of emergency medications in case of accidental uptake of the allergenic food. Moreover, the success of AIT depends on an accurate allergy diagnosis that aims at identifying the primary allergen source, risk factors for disease severity and ideally is able to predict therapeutic success. Preventive strategies are urgently needed in order to stop the rise of allergic diseases.
Although the mechanisms of AIT are not completely understood, several approaches aiming at enhancing therapeutic efficacy have been developed or are in the scientific pipeline. Amongst others, these therapeutic concepts include the use of novel adjuvants and other substances with immunomodulatory properties, recombinant engineered allergens or novel routes of application. An important and challenging topic is the development of advanced preventive strategies that are able to induce immunological tolerance to allergens before disease manifestation. Moreover, novel diagnostic concepts including component-resolved IgE-diagnosis, single- and multiplex testing or basophil activation testing play an important role in precisely diagnosing and treating allergies. Additionally, biomarkers that allow predicting severe reactions or therapeutic success are strongly needed for patient stratification and optimal therapeutic intervention.
In this Research Topic, we welcome Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods Articles and Original Articles that deal with current state-of-the-art concepts, the latest developments and further perspectives in therapy and diagnosis of allergic diseases. Moreover, actual basic research topics that help to understand the mechanisms of allergy and immunological tolerance and, thus, will help to develop future preventive, therapeutic and diagnostic strategies are highly welcome. More specifically, topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Adjuvants, immunomodulators, recombinant allergens and novel routes for allergen immunotherapy
• Biologicals such as antibodies for the treatment of allergy
• Personalized therapy concepts
• Preventive strategies for allergy development, new findings from epidemiologic studies
• Biomarkers in allergy; biomarkers for severe reactions and therapeutic success
• Antibody-allergen interaction; role in disease progression or tolerance induction
• Novel diagnostic approaches; component-resolved diagnostics, single- and multiplex testing; basophil activation testing