Scientists 'Find Cure' For Deadly Peanut Allergy

A team of British scientists have moved closer to finding a cure for a potentially fatal peanut allergy.

A successful trial saw a team from Cambridge's Addenbrooke's hospital give tiny does of peanut flour to children to help them build up a tolerance over a six-month period.

Gradually their tolerance was built up, and by the end the children were eating the equivalent of five peanuts a day.

Previously the children would have risked anaphylactic shock, or even death if they accidentally ate even a trace amount of peanut.

However, the team said it is the first time so-called desensitisation treatment has been successful.

Andrew Clark, a consultant in paediatric allergy who led the research, said further studies were planned to look at other types of nuts, including hazelnuts and Brazil nuts.

Other foods that seem to be fuelling an increase in food allergies, such as kiwi fruit, would also form part of future trials, he said.

Mr Clark said his team were "definitely" one step closer to finding a cure for food allergies, which he said were on the rise.

"Every time people with a peanut allergy eat something, they're frightened that it might kill them," he said.

"Our motivation was to find a treatment that would change that and give them the confidence to eat what they like.

"All of these children say it has improved their quality of life and they've lost that fear of having an acute reaction if they accidentally eat a peanut.

"Peanut allergy is common - it affects one in 50 young people in the UK - and unlike other childhood food allergies like cow's milk, it rarely goes away.

"For all our participants, a reaction could lead to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

"This is not a permanent cure, but as long as they go on taking a daily dose they should maintain their tolerance."

Jonny Betts, 13, from Tunbridge Wells was one of the first patients to undergo the trial.

Today he can eat whatever he likes without fear of nut contamination.

"I can eat peanuts basically," he said. "It's very, very life changing with no more risk any more. It's very carefree."

A few trials were done in the 1990s using peanut injections, but these were not successful.

(JM/BMcC)