Cheerio, pollen allergies! New treatment could soon make you immune to hay fever
- Replies 3
Although most of us are keen for spring to come, hayfever sufferers across Australia also dread the itchy eyes, runny noses, and sneezing fits that come along with the season.
According to Healthy WA, hay fever affects one in five Australians. They added that the condition can have a significant impact on sleep, concentration, learning, and daily function.
Dawn from South Australia shared that she fears the onset of spring every year.
‘It's just annoying, it upsets your routine.’ she said. ‘It can also be quite embarrassing, especially at the moment because everyone thinks you might be contagious with something else.’
But what if we told you that there may soon be a daily pill available that offers long-term protection against these symptoms?
A team of researchers at Monash University have been studying a treatment option that could induce changes in immune cell memory, which in turn reduces allergic reactions to triggers such as grass pollen.
No more uncontrollable sneezing, itchy eyes, and sniffling! Source: Unsplash
Researchers are a step closer to making a medical breakthrough for sufferers like Dawn, with the help of a daily pill containing tiny doses of grass pollen.
The pill works by desensitising hayfever sufferers against rye grass pollen allergy, which can also lead to sudden and severe asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
Professor Menno Van Zelm, Head of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Laboratory at Monash University, stated that the treatment can ‘reprogram’ the immune system to banish allergic reactions for good.
‘We evaluated what changes in the immune system when people are taking this tablet,’ he said.
‘We know that this form of medication works for many people but interestingly, we don't know exactly how it works and what changes in the immune system are needed to make sure that it’s successful.’
Yay for spring… But nay for hay fever symptoms. Source: Medium
A study proves that the strategy is effective
Exposure therapy is not a new concept… But this research brought light to a better understanding of how the immune system remembers.
The study with 27 Victorians found that 92 per cent of people who took the tablets regularly for four months, over three consecutive years, continued to report benefits even long after.
Although it was effective for many people, Professor Van Zelm said that his team identified ‘biomarkers of immunity’ – which became apparent in some patients after just four months.
He detailed that these biomarkers could help doctors identify whether a patient will benefit from the full course.
A slight downside is that the pill needs to be taken daily for three years. Source: Unsplash
‘We've now uncovered some clues about that and think that we can use it to identify early changes that will predict if somebody will benefit from the treatment or not.’ he said.
‘At the moment, because patients have to take this for three years, there is a clear associated cost with it. People have to take it every day so it's very difficult to ensure that everybody is taking the medication, especially if you’re uncertain it will work.’
‘We hope it will motivate people, especially those who see that it is indeed working. If you keep taking it, it will give you prolonged effects.’ he continued.
The Monash team will also test the effectiveness of the treatment against other common allergens such as house dust mites.
‘It's the same sort of treatment and the same test. We just adjust it to measure the cells that respond to house dust mites and we're currently doing that.’ Professor Van Zelm said.
‘We've done the same for bee venom allergy and we see the same changes happening there.’
Dawn said that the new treatment could work wonders for her and her family.
‘I have two adult children who also suffer quite severely with it.’ she said. ‘One of them is out on the road every day and he finds that his hay fever affects his capacity to work.’
Maybe this is the answer to finally enjoying spring in full swing! What are your thoughts about this treatment to combat hay fever? Do you struggle with it every spring? If so, would you be willing to try this medication? Let us know in the comments!
Learn more about the pill by watching the video below:
Source: 7News
According to Healthy WA, hay fever affects one in five Australians. They added that the condition can have a significant impact on sleep, concentration, learning, and daily function.
Dawn from South Australia shared that she fears the onset of spring every year.
‘It's just annoying, it upsets your routine.’ she said. ‘It can also be quite embarrassing, especially at the moment because everyone thinks you might be contagious with something else.’
But what if we told you that there may soon be a daily pill available that offers long-term protection against these symptoms?
A team of researchers at Monash University have been studying a treatment option that could induce changes in immune cell memory, which in turn reduces allergic reactions to triggers such as grass pollen.
No more uncontrollable sneezing, itchy eyes, and sniffling! Source: Unsplash
Researchers are a step closer to making a medical breakthrough for sufferers like Dawn, with the help of a daily pill containing tiny doses of grass pollen.
The pill works by desensitising hayfever sufferers against rye grass pollen allergy, which can also lead to sudden and severe asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
Professor Menno Van Zelm, Head of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Laboratory at Monash University, stated that the treatment can ‘reprogram’ the immune system to banish allergic reactions for good.
‘We evaluated what changes in the immune system when people are taking this tablet,’ he said.
‘We know that this form of medication works for many people but interestingly, we don't know exactly how it works and what changes in the immune system are needed to make sure that it’s successful.’
Yay for spring… But nay for hay fever symptoms. Source: Medium
A study proves that the strategy is effective
Exposure therapy is not a new concept… But this research brought light to a better understanding of how the immune system remembers.
The study with 27 Victorians found that 92 per cent of people who took the tablets regularly for four months, over three consecutive years, continued to report benefits even long after.
Although it was effective for many people, Professor Van Zelm said that his team identified ‘biomarkers of immunity’ – which became apparent in some patients after just four months.
He detailed that these biomarkers could help doctors identify whether a patient will benefit from the full course.
A slight downside is that the pill needs to be taken daily for three years. Source: Unsplash
‘We've now uncovered some clues about that and think that we can use it to identify early changes that will predict if somebody will benefit from the treatment or not.’ he said.
‘At the moment, because patients have to take this for three years, there is a clear associated cost with it. People have to take it every day so it's very difficult to ensure that everybody is taking the medication, especially if you’re uncertain it will work.’
‘We hope it will motivate people, especially those who see that it is indeed working. If you keep taking it, it will give you prolonged effects.’ he continued.
The Monash team will also test the effectiveness of the treatment against other common allergens such as house dust mites.
‘It's the same sort of treatment and the same test. We just adjust it to measure the cells that respond to house dust mites and we're currently doing that.’ Professor Van Zelm said.
‘We've done the same for bee venom allergy and we see the same changes happening there.’
Dawn said that the new treatment could work wonders for her and her family.
‘I have two adult children who also suffer quite severely with it.’ she said. ‘One of them is out on the road every day and he finds that his hay fever affects his capacity to work.’
Maybe this is the answer to finally enjoying spring in full swing! What are your thoughts about this treatment to combat hay fever? Do you struggle with it every spring? If so, would you be willing to try this medication? Let us know in the comments!
Learn more about the pill by watching the video below:
Source: 7News
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