Allergies: causes, symptoms and complications, diagnostics, and treatments
Allergies develop after a foreign protein (allergen) enters our body and is recognized as a threat by our immune defenses resulting in an allergic reaction. In different individuals, allergens may or may not result in an immune reaction. Once your immune system recognizes the allergen as a threat after first exposure, immune cells will form immunoglobulin E (IgE antibody), called sensitization. Upon re-exposure, the previously formed immunoglobulin E antibodies will bind to immune cells called mast cells and induce a release of histamine which will result in a symptomatic reaction. Mast cells reside in membranes covering the entire gastrointestinal tract, skin, and respiratory tract, explaining how various symptoms can develop during an allergic reaction. It is an important topic of discussion as the prevalence of allergen sensitization affect 40% of the population worldwide.