A recent study published in Allergy, the European Allergy Journal, found that early life skin exposure to peanut may increase the risk of peanut allergy. Researchers at the Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, looked at the blood cells of children with peanut allergy and compared them to children who are not allergic to peanuts. They found immunologic signals on peanut reactive lymphocytes, white blood cells involved in allergy, that point to skin as the first site of exposure to peanut. (Chan SM, Turcanu V, Stephens AC, Fox AT, Grieve AP, Lack G. Cutaneous lymphocyte antigen and α4β7 T-lymphocyte responses are associated with peanut allergy and tolerance in children. Allergy, Vol. 67, Issue 3, pages 336-342, March 2012)

Dr. Irena Veksler of Allergy & Asthma Care of Fairfield County comments: “Previous studies have found evidence that early skin exposure to peanut allergens may increase the risk of peanut allergy, and this study provide evidence of an immunologic mechanism for these findings. This is an exciting area of research that will hopefully lead to further understanding of how people develop new food allergies.”