Allergens

Allergens can enter the body by airborne, ingestion in the form of foods and medications, contact through the skin or mucous membranes, or injection. Allergy symptoms do not occur during the first contact with allergens. At the beginning of our life, when our organism encounters foreign substances, our immune system learns to recognize and memorize them. It then responds by producing antibodies against these foreign substances, which we call antigens. This process is known as sensitization. Whenever the same antigen is seen in the organism, the same response starts due to its recall feature. As a result of repetitive encounters of the immune system with allergens in atopic, that is, “allergic” individuals, IgE-type antibodies are formed against allergens. These IgE antibodies also initiate an allergic reaction by interacting with the normally harmless allergens (pollens, house dust, etc.) in the environment. These events develop through mediators secreted by a group of cells called mast cells and basophils that carry allergen-specific IgE antibodies.  With the effect of these mediators, allergy symptoms of target organs (such as eyes, nose, respiratory tract) occur.



Allergens can be grouped into 4 main groups: 

• Respiratory allergens: 

House dust mites, tree, grass and grain pollen, mold fungi, animals and insects

• Food allergens: 

Cold drinks, baked and frozen foods, seafood, jams, jellies, cakes, cereals, chocolate, sauces, oils and fats, leavened foods, food additives used as preservatives (sulfites, benzoates and parabens, antioxidants, aspartame, tartrazine, nitrates and nitrites) are substances that can cause food allergies.  Cow's milk is the most common food allergen for children. This is because cow's milk contains a protein called beta lactogloblin, which is not found in breast milk. Moreover, eggs, seafood, nuts, vegetables and fruits, cereals, meat types are other food allergy causes.

• Medication allergens
• Occupational allergens