Allergy and vaccination

Allergy and vaccination

Allergies are very common among the population. Vaccination is an alternative for allergy sufferers who cannot overcome their problems with traditional treatment.

What is a vaccine against allergies?

Allergy vaccine, also called hyposensitization, is a form of immunotherapy where allergy sufferers are given allergen in repeated doses. The vaccine can be in the form of a dissolvable tablet or an injection under the skin.

In the case of allergy vaccination in the form of a melting tablet, it is usual to take one every day for three years. With injections, on the other hand, it is usual to have a start-up phase where you take weekly injections, then switch to maintenance treatment every eight weeks for three to five years. How long one must be treated, as well as the effect of treatment, can vary between different individuals.

How does the allergy vaccine work?

Allergy vaccines work by enabling the recipient to tolerate larger doses of the allergen than before vaccination. The mode of action of allergy vaccines at the molecular and cellular level is not fully understood, but we know that the allergy vaccine affects the mechanisms in the immune system that underlie the allergic reaction. The result is that the allergy sufferer reacts less allergically.

Allergy vaccination is a longer process. For allergies to mites, pollen and animals, the total treatment time is three years, while for insect allergies it is five years. For the allergy vaccination to be successful, frequent follow-up by a doctor over time is crucial.

Common side effects are mild discomfort in the mouth and throat, as well as stuffy nose and watery eyes. Some may also experience some stomach pain from tablets. Fortunately, the ailments are temporary for most people.

Why should you get a vaccine for allergies?

Allergy vaccine will not cure allergies, but with successful treatment you can feel healthy as the tendency to allergic reaction is so much less than before. The effect of allergy vaccination can last for both months and years after the regimen has ended. Allergy vaccine is also the only treatment that affects the disease process itself.

Research has shown that the effect of allergy vaccines is at least as good, and perhaps better, than symptom-relieving treatment. It has also been seen that allergy vaccines can protect against later development of asthma, as well as provide better control of allergic asthma.

Who should get vaccinated?

You should only be treated with an allergy vaccine when the diagnosis has been made, and you know the specific allergen you are reacting to. It is also a criterion that the allergy causes symptoms that reduce the quality of life. In order to start treatment with an allergy vaccine, symptom-relieving treatment, as well as allergy remediation, must also have been tried in advance with unsatisfactory results.

Unfortunately, there is no allergy vaccine for all forms of allergy, but the following can be vaccinated against:

Cat and dog.
Bee and wasp stings.
Pollen allergy (grass, timothy, burdock root, birch, hazel and alder).
Mold.
House dust mite.

Allergy vaccine should be avoided if:

Serious cancer, or other serious illness related to the lungs, or the cardiovascular system.Immunological diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.Treatment with so-called beta blockers.Small children under the age of five, as the natural course of the disease is uncertain.

Precautions for allergy vaccination:

Pregnant women can continue treatment, but should avoid starting and increasing the dose during pregnancy due to the risk of anaphylaxis and fetal hypoxia in the fetus.
Tablet treatment has been little investigated among the elderly over 65 years of age.
Breastfeeding women can get an allergy vaccine as it passes into breast milk to a small extent.
One should be careful with allergy vaccines in those with poorly controlled asthma and atopic dermatitis.
Allergy vaccine against mite allergy is only for those between 12 and 65 years old.

Allergy vaccine for allergic asthma against house dust mites is only for those aged between 18 and 65.
The first dose must be taken with the doctor to ensure correct use, as well as monitor any side effects. It is also to be prepared in case you react with a strong allergic reaction.

Allergy test

Allergy tests are used to help diagnose allergies. There are different types of allergy tests. Allergy tests can be in the form of tests with allergens locally in the skin (prick test), or through blood samples where specific Ig-E antibodies are detected. You can also carry out so-called provocation tests, where you ingest/avoid the allergen you suspect you are allergic to. This form of allergy test is most common for food allergies.

Allergy tests cannot be used alone to make diagnoses as they can give misleading answers. Allergy test results must always be seen in connection with medical history and symptoms.

Sources: Great Norwegian encyclopedia, Relis, Norwegian drug handbook, Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association, Norwegian Health Information Technology.