Vienna: Four per cent of the population which is about 320,000 Austrians and
up to 250 million people worldwide suffer from food allergies. The
majority of those affected suffer from gastrointestinal problems,
including symptoms such as diarrhoea, sickness, or vomiting. The
intestine not only serves for ingestion, but probably also is the organ
where the development of a food allergy first occurs. 80 per cent of
human immune cells are located in the intestine to protect the body – as
a consequence, a healthy intestine as part of the immune system is
crucial for developing tolerance for food components and harmless
agents.
“The fatal thing about a food allergy is that it may
cause even life-threatening shocks,” says Medical Specialist for
Immunology Eva Untersmayr-Elsenhuber of the Institute for
Pathophysiology and Allergy Research at the Medical University of
Vienna. A food allergy is an overreaction of the immune system against
otherwise harmless components of the food, so-called allergens. Even
minute amounts are sufficient for the allergen to be identified by
antibodies. The subsequent histamine release may trigger not only
gastrointestinal complaints, but also e.g. swelling and burning in the
mouth, coughing, dyspnoea, asthma, but also eczema and itching of the
skin – up to a life-threatening anaphylaxis. “This also is the
difference to food intolerance.” Currently there is no other measure
against food allergies than to avoid the allergen in the diet.
The Medial University of Vienna’s Service Day on the occasion of the World Day of Immunology
On
the occasion of the World Day of Immunology next Wednesday (29 April),
the Medical University of Vienna with the support of an FWF(Fund for the
Promotion of Scientific Research) scientific communication project will
therefore organize a service day for the interested public on Tuesday,
28 April 2015 (Lugner City, 1150 Vienna) which will focus on food
allergies, their diagnosis and prevention, but also on the intestine as
the central immune organ. Under the supervision of the experts of the
Medical University in Vienna from the departments of Immunology,
Gastroenterology, Allergy Research or Molecular Biology between 12.00
and 20.00 hrs visitors will have the chance to explore the model
intestine with an approximate length of 16 metres and 2.80 metres in
height which has been sponsored by the Felix Burda Foundation, which is
about 16 metres long and 2.80 metres high, to be able to better
understand the processes involved in a food allergy. In addition, the
experts of the Medical University of Vienna are available for answering
any kind of questions about food allergies.
The Austrian pollen
monitoring service run by the Medical University of Vienna will also be
present with a stand for answering questions by people allergic to
pollen. The programme also features the presentation of the first
specialist book published in cooperation by the Medical University of
Vienna and Manz-Verlag “Pollen und Allergie”, written by Uwe Berger and
Katharina Bastl from the pollen monitoring service of the Medical
University of Vienna.
The intestine as an important barrier
An
important factor for the development of a food allergy are the
intestine and its function: “In this context it is true that the person
is doing well if the intestine is doing well,” says
Untersmayr-Elsenhuber. Intestinal mucosa, the intestinal mucus and the
bacterial plaque form an important functional barrier. If proteins from
the food are insufficiently broken down, or if the intestine is “leaky”,
increased amounts of nutritional components can enter the body. The
proteins which are not broken down pass into the small intestine, immune
cells identify them as “foreign” and are activated. In case of a
renewed contact, an allergic reaction may occur as a result. “In th
event of gastrointestinal problems, the possibility of a previously
unknown allergy should be considered, because the symptoms of a food
allergy may also be unspecific.”