Interesting facts

1. July 2021 in ECARF News

Particulates – more dangerous than previously thought

Particulates can damage the lungs even more than previously thought. Particulate limits may not have been strict enough until now.

10. February 2021 in Interesting facts

Update: EU and FDA approve peanut protein treatment for peanut allergy

When children and teenagers with a peanut allergy ingest peanut protein in controlled doses, their allergy symptoms improve.

26. November 2020 in ECARF News

One grain to rule them all

Einkorn, emmer and spelt. People with wheat intolerance are often recommended to eat these three ancient wheat varieties. But einkorn has one advantage.

23. October 2020 in ECARF News

Cooked carrots can trigger allergies

Allergies to raw carrots are common. But cooked carrots can also trigger allergies, as researchers in Bayreuth have recently discovered. People who are allergic to carrots should therefore avoid carrots altogether.

20. October 2020 in Interesting facts

When the body confuses apple and birch, the result is cross reactivity

With an apple allergy, the immune system confuses two tiny substances that are very similar. One is in birch pollen, the other is in apples. This is why an apple allergy often comes after a birch pollen allergy – a

18. August 2020 in ECARF News

Oak Processionary Moth: Symptoms Can Occur Well Beyond the Summer

When hiking in the forest during the summer, areas with any remaining nests of the oak processionary moth should be avoided. The irritating hairs of the caterpillars can cause itching, papules and even allergies well into the autumn.

6. August 2020 in ECARF News

Who pays for emergency treatment in other EU countries?

How expensive is emergency treatment in other EU countries? National contact centres provide answers.

2. July 2020 in ECARF News

Atopic dermatitis and allergic reactions of the eyes

Atopic dermatitis does not affect only the skin. The disease can also cause itching and burning in the eyes. Allergy medications can relieve the symptoms.

14. June 2020 in Interesting facts

Edible insects pose some risk to people with allergies

Eating insects is healthy and protects the environment. But people with allergies should proceed with caution.

4. March 2020 in Interesting facts

Cold allergy is not an allergy

Some people develop a skin rash when exposed to cold temperatures. But it is not an allergy in the classical sense. Cold does not contain any allergens and the body therefore cannot develop antibodies against it.

2. March 2020 in Interesting facts

Vitamin D in pregnancy does not affect childhood asthma risk

In 2016, an American study inspired hope that children would be protected against asthma if their mothers took vitamin D while pregnant. The recently published long-term results do not support this theory.

24. February 2020 in Interesting facts

Incorrect use of nasal sprays for asthma treatment

Nine in ten asthma patients are unable to use corticosteroid nasal sprays correctly. A Dutch working group is therefore calling for improvements to be made to user instructions and for patients to be provided with better guidance.

20. January 2020 in Interesting facts

Iodine allergy: myth or reality?

Some people believe that they are allergic to iodine. But the chemical element is so small that it cannot trigger any allergic reactions whatsoever. So if exposure to iodine leads to itchy skin or dizziness, what is the cause?

13. January 2020 in Interesting facts

Tattoo needle particles can enter the skin

Certain tattoo inks cause very small nickel particles to be abraded from the tattoo needle. This can lead to a sensitisation or allergy to nickel.

16. December 2019 in Interesting facts

Don’t let allergy triggers spoil the holidays

The ACAAI gives advice on how to protect yourself against hidden allergy triggers over the Christmas season.

18. November 2019 in Interesting facts

Intestinal bacteria and cow’s milk allergy

One in 200 children under the age of two in Europe has a cow’s milk allergy. The microorganisms in the gut may be a factor. An article summarising the available evidence and remaining questions was published in mid 2019.

2. October 2019 in Interesting facts

Exercise can trigger allergic reactions

Yes, it’s a fact: Allergic reactions can be triggered by exercise alone. Hiking, working out at the gym or gardening can induce symptoms such as a rash and itchy skin.

11. September 2019 in Interesting facts

Comic: anaphylaxis quickly explained

What is anaphylaxis and how to deal with it? Our comic answers these questions.

21. August 2019 in Interesting facts

Family doctors often fail to recognise cortisone-induced diabetes

Long-term cortisone use can lead to a specific type of diabetes that is often not recognised right away, according to the German Diabetes Association (DDG).

30. July 2019 in Interesting facts

Eczema increases food allergies in children with eczema

Infants with severe rashes (eczema) that are also colonised by a certain type of bacteria develop fewer food allergies than children without this bacteria.

30. July 2019 in Interesting facts

Munich researchers test gluten sensor

A portable gluten sensor for home use has been available in Germany for around one year. Food chemist Katharina Scherf has received €20,000 in research funding from the German Coeliac Society (DZG) in order to test whether it really works.

30. July 2019 in Interesting facts

Babies with perceived food intolerances are breastfed longer

Newborns who develop allergic reactions when transitioning to solid food are usually breastfed longer than babies without symptoms. This was the finding from a study led by American allergist and paediatrician Karen A. Robbins.

30. July 2019 in Interesting facts

Flying nuisance: How dangerous are insect stings?

Whenever bees and wasps buzz around nearby, panic often breaks out – in most cases without reason. But people who are allergic to insect venom should be prepared for the worst.

30. July 2019 in Interesting facts

Asthma attacks related to (summer) thunderstorms

High winds can blow grass pollen around during thunderstorms in summer. As a result, an increasing number of people end up seeking emergency medical treatment for breathing difficulties.

30. July 2019 in Interesting facts

Walnuts can trigger severe allergy symptoms

Allergies are caused by antibodies against specific storage proteins in walnuts. Children are more susceptible than adults and develop more severe reactions. This was the conclusion of a study by the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

2. May 2019 in Interesting facts

The mechanic’ and the police of the immune system

The immune system must destroy enemies from outside without attacking the body’s own cells. A research team in Regensburg, Germany investigated how it achieves this balance.

2. May 2019 in Interesting facts

How grief affects the immune system

The loss of a life partner damages the immune system of the bereaved person.

24. April 2019 in Interesting facts

Penicillin allergy diagnosis is often false

Significantly fewer people are allergic to penicillin than previously assumed, according to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Infektiologie (German Society of Infectious Diseases – DGI). One in ten adults in Germany believe they are allergic to the antibiotic. But in many cases,

22. February 2019 in Interesting facts

Fine Particulates Put Children’s Health at Risk

Paediatric allergy specialists in Germany are calling for a lowering of the threshold value for fine particulates. Prior to this, a group of pulmonologists in Germany disputed the scientific basis of the upper limit for fine particulates.

22. February 2019 in Interesting facts

Nanoparticles from Food Mask Gut Bacteria

Nanoparticles in food can cover bacteria like a sort of mask. This is what Shirley Knauer from the University of Duisburg-Essen and her team discovered. They observed the nanoparticles within the different environments of the gastrointestinal tract simulated in the

28. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Fast Food Increases Allergy Risk

People who eat fast food at least three times per week are more prone to shortness of breath, asthma, allergic rhinitis and skin rashes.

28. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Atopic Dermatitis: New Therapies Help the Skin

The initial results are promising: One tablet containing a substance that inhibits certain histamine receptors alleviates skin changes in atopic dermatitis twice as effectively as a placebo.

28. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Who Will Benefit from Immunotherapy against Hay Fever? New Test Provides Answers

Who will benefit from specific immunotherapy? A new procedure could reveal who will benefit from the three-year treatment right after the first treatment phase.

28. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Nutrition: Fast Food Increases Allergy Risk

Convenience foods can be found in every supermarket and ready-to-eat industrial food products are available at many fast food restaurants. But the ingredients are often of poor quality. People who eat them are likely harming their health.

18. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Eczema in the Elderly Is Not Atopic Dermatitis

Inflammatory skin conditions not caused by bacteria or viruses can occur at any age. People 55 and older are most commonly affected. An international research team has now investigated the possibility of ‘elderly-onset atopic dermatitis’.

10. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Tattoos Can Trigger Allergies

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has investigated how the substances and pigments in tattoo inks are distributed in the body.

9. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Asthma Can Also Begin After 60

Argentinean researchers have discovered that as many as ten in 100 people over 60 may develop asthma. People with allergies are especially at risk.

9. January 2019 in Interesting facts

Advanced Age Is Not Protective Against Allergies

“Only children and young adults develop allergies.” That’s what many believe, but the reality is different: Nearly one in ten people over 65 will experience allergy symptoms for the first time.

18. December 2018 in Interesting facts

Allergies during Christmas Time

People with hay fever usually look forward to the colder months as the pollen season comes to an end and allergy symptoms subside. But the winter season brings its own share of allergens. Our Advent and Christmas traditions include many

12. November 2018 in Interesting facts

Comic: What happens inside my body when I have an allergy?

Why do some people have allergies?

26. September 2018 in Interesting facts

Ivy Helps Reduce Fine Dust

Building facades covered in ivy regulate the indoor climate while also filtering out fine dust particles, according to scientists in Cologne and Jülich, Germany.

19. September 2018 in Interesting facts

The right tomato for people with birch pollen allergy

Certain varieties of tomatoes contain less allergy-triggering proteins (allergens) than others. A team at the Technical University of Munich discovered which ones.

12. September 2018 in Interesting facts

Non-Allergenic Laundry

The all-clear has been given for people with contact allergies: the preservative MIT from laundry detergents is undetectable in laundered textiles. For the first time, researchers investigate whether the substance leaves residues in laundry.

16. August 2018 in Interesting facts

Animal Hair Allergy quickly explained

Daniela Schreiter of Fuchskind made understanding animal hair allergy easy with this comic: For further information click here.

11. April 2018 in Interesting facts

Focus on Hay Fever – What Are the Latest Research Findings?

In the coming days and weeks, more and more birch pollen will be released into the air, and many people with hay fever will feel it.

22. March 2018 in Interesting facts

Teddy in the Freezer: How Much Cold Can Mites Tolerate?

Soft toys are delicate. Most of them can’t be washed at high temperatures without losing their shape. Parents of children with house dust mite allergies are therefore advised to put soft toys in the freezer on a regular basis. The

22. January 2018 in Interesting facts

Is It a Cold or an Allergy?

Whenever they feel run down and get a runny nose and scratchy throat during the winter, many people assume they have a cold. But allergic rhinitis can cause similar symptoms. How do you know which one it is?

11. January 2018 in Interesting facts

Vitamin D protects against allergic asthma attacks

Vitamin D is like a miracle vitamin for the prevention of many diseases. It is often impossible to confirm the assumption that the vitamin has a protective effect. But it does appear to have a positive effect on allergic asthma.

4. January 2018 in Interesting facts

Majority of People Want Allergen Labelling

In Germany, 67 per cent of the population believe it is important to provide information about potential allergy-triggering ingredients on food packaging. This was the conclusion of the 2018 food report issued by the German Federal Ministry of Food and

26. October 2017 in Interesting facts

MACVIA-ARIA Allergy Diary

The Allergy Diary by MACVIA-ARIA enables you to keep a daily digital record of your hay fever and asthma symptoms and medication use.

30. March 2017 in ECARF News

Allergy App Review: Allergy Journal

We test allergy apps for you on smartphones and tablets. Allergy Journal is the second application in our review series. Allergy Journal is a food and symptom diary that helps users identify intolerances. Allergy Journal is currently only available in […]

28. March 2017 in Interesting facts

Allergy App Review: The Pollen App

We test allergy apps for you on smartphones and tablets. The Pollen app is the first application in our review series. The Pollen app offers much more than just pollen forecasts. It allows users to log their symptoms. The app […]

14. November 2016 in Interesting facts

Book Review: Hannes Hase (Hannes the Rabbit)

Many people feel left in the dark when newly confronted with an allergy. The symptoms come and go. Hay fever can be mistaken for a cold. Or the skin starts to itch and an external trigger is suspected. Hannes the