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Pets At Home -
Troubles Or Fun
Pets, next to saprophytes, are
nowadays considered to constitute the second major group of
year-around allergens and play an important role in the development
of allergic diseases. In all forms of atopic allergy (atopy), the
presence of allergens in the surrounding environment is a necessary
condition for the allergy to develop (to produce IgE), and later to
intensify the symptoms of the disease and maintain a chronic
inflammation of the diseased organs. It has been proven that a
direct contact with pets increases the risk of developing an allergy
and later, the symptoms of asthma and rhinitis. Even people who do
not have pets are exposed to contact with their allergens, and
susceptible to develop to some of the allergic symptoms.
Animal allergens can be found at home, in dust samples from the
floors and soft carpets. They can also be found in the air inside
residential quarters and in the dust from bedroom mattresses. It is
impossible to eliminate completely the risk of developing allergic
diseases. Animal allergens can be detected almost everywhere in each
public places, including new houses, shopping malls, doctor's
offices and even newly built hospitals. Animal allergens that are
most often present in samples of a home dust undergo aerolization
and penetrate the respiratory tract.
Sources of animal allergens
The main sources of allergens may differ among animal species. They
can be the fragments of epidermis, sebaceous and sweat gland
secretion, urine, saliva, serum. Most of animal allergens are
proteins and at the same time enzymes.The symptoms and mechanism of
developing an allergy to animal allergens. Animal epidermis is the
cause of continuous, all year-round allergic problems. Cats and dogs
are the animals which often stay in a close physical contact with a
man. They are considered to be the main source of antigens, which
can cause allergic reactions - that is why allergies to home pets
are more common than other types of such diseases.
Despite the fact that there is much more dogs than cats in people
houses, among the family of atopic and inatopic animals, the dogs
are less likely to cause allergic problems. A greater majority of
people is allergic to cats. The common symptoms may and the results
of skin tests may worsen over time, with age, much more than an
allergic reaction to dogs. People who are allergic to cats, much
more than those allergic to dogs will suffer from an all-year
allergic rhinitis, ophthalmia and have bad results of spirometric
examination. It is believed that the reason for that situation can
be the nearness of this animal, and the fact that cats more often
stay at home, in people's bedroom, and even in a children's bed. On
the other hand, the cat-allergen is thought to be much more
allergizing than the allergen of a dog. 5 per cent of people
allergic to animals will suffer from ophthalmia, 9 per cent from
eczema, 27 per cent will have a catarrh and 78 per cent will develop
asthmatic problems. Nettle rash (urticaria) and allergic oedema
(vascular motor oedema) are caused by the local activity of an
allergen, which could for example, come in contact with the skin
when the skin was licked by the animal. Anaphylaxis can also be an
effect of an animal bite.
It is estimated that 43 per cent of all allergic patients keeps pets
in their homes. Almost 10 per cent of them suffer from some serious
eye, nose, skin and bronchial tubes problems. A constant exposure to
allergens will intensify the symptoms of the allergy which may lead
to an allergic inflammation within the respiratory tract - that is
the cause of the escalation of allergic symptoms of pets' owners.
Keeping animals in house with asthmatic children may worsen the
symptoms of the respiratory tract confitions - catching cold, cough
and shallow breathing. Getting rid of a pet will lead to an
immediate recovery. A reduction of exposure to the allergen can
reduce the symptoms of asthma, dry out the inflammation and
overreaction of bronchial tubes.
Detection of allergy to animals
1. Medical history In each allergy, a detailed case history obtained
through a conversation with a patient is crucial to determine all
the possible sources of exposure to various animals. It is important
to observe both a manifestation of allergic symptoms when being
exposed to animals and later a relief of reactions when being
isolated from the source of exposure, e.g. during holidays or a
weekend. A provocative test with allergen can confirm the existence
of an allergy of a patient with bronchial asthma.
2. Skin tests A preliminary detection of an allergy to animals
should be confirmed by skin tests, preferably performed by pricking
the patient's skin (a puncture test). When analyzing the results of
skin tests, one should remember that they only prove the existence
of specific IgE and do not indicates that the observed symptoms are
the results of allergic reactions - in order to prove an allergy,
the results of the tests performed ought to correspond to the
information that can be found in the case history.
3. In vitro examinations In order to find a specific IgE in the
blood serum, it is possible to perform some in vitro testing based
on RIA or ELISA methodology. In routine diagnostics however, skin
tests are believed to give better results. In vitro testing has some
major limitations: the lack of standardization of substances used to
detect some allergens and a high price of such tests. If there is a
serious doubt concerning the results of the skin test performed, or
the test results do not correspond to the case history, or even
there is no possibility to perform such tests, an in vitro
examination which helps to detect a specific IgE in the blood serum
can be a useful diagnostic method.
If you have an allergy to animals
One of the most effective action you can take is to eliminate from
your house the allergen that is detrimental to your health.
Sometimes however, it is not possible to get rid of a pet, for
example, due to some emotional reasons. There are many patients who
decide to tolerate excruciating allergic complaints for years, in
order not to abandon their pets. If it is not possible to get rid of
an animal from the nearest environment (like the house or the place
of work) one can try to reduce the amount of released allergens or
try to hold back their distribution. To do so, it is recommended to
get rid of some cushioned furniture, carpets and carpet-like
floorings where allergens can accumulate. They should be replaced
with washable floor coverings and cleaned regularly by washing their
surface with a disinfectant. It is also very important to use a
vacuum cleaner with a proper HEPA filter.
Medical treatment
The most effective method of an allergy treatment is avoiding all
allergy-provoking animals. People who cannot eliminate their contact
with such animals have to be treated pharmacologically. The
treatment is identical to the one used in other forms of allergy. It
requires to take both the symptom-relieving medicines and a
continuous anti-inflamatory treatment. One should understand
however, unless the patient eliminates their contact with an
allergy-provoking animal, and is exposed even for a short periods of
time, to high concentration of allergens, he or she will suffer from
allergic reactions, even if he or she continues to take right
medicines. Immunotherapy is another method of treatment of an
allergy to animals. When compared to adults, children who undergo a
desensitization, have a tendency to a stronger immunological
response.
Copyright 2006 Radoslaw Pilarski
Radoslaw Pilarski is a PhD candidate working on anticancer
properties of Uncaria tomentosa - www.uncariatomentosa.com - at PAS,
Poland. mLingua Worldwide Translations, Ltd. - mlingua.pl - provides
professional language translations.
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Pets At
Home - Troubles Or Fun |
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