Danube Allergy Research Cluster 2.0 - Allergen-specific approaches for diagnosis, prevention and treatment of severe allergy

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated allergy remains to be the most prevalent immunologically-mediated disease affecting almost 30% of the population world-wide. Accordingly it is one of the most important non-communicable diseases affecting mankind. Allergic and chronic airway diseases are currently a major public health problem causing high morbidity, costs and mortality. Allergic patients suffer not only from relatively mild manifestations such as allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis but also other organs such as the lung, skin and gastrointestinal tract can be heavily affected. The most severe form of allergy, anaphylactic shock caused by food allergens and venom allergens may lead to life-threating conditions and death also in very young persons. Likewise, asthma is a severely disabling and life-threatening manifestation of allergy from early childhood up to elderly life. Several pharmacological and biological treatements are available but their effect is modest, lasts only as long as the medication is administered and does not provide sustained effects. Molecular allergy diagnosis enables to transform healthcare towards the principles of “P4 Medicine” for predictive, preventive, personalized (precision) and participatory medicine.