ABSTRACT
The prevalence of food allergies has continued to rise rapidly over the past decades to become an increasingly significant health burden. Food allergies are now estimated to affect 6%–13% of the global population. Currently, no drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of food allergy. The current standard of care remains avoidance of allergenic foods and management of acute allergic reactions with antihistamines and intramuscular epinephrine. Oral and sublingual immunotherapy are the most common forms of allergen immunotherapy, and procedures vary in dose, duration of therapy, route of administration, and adjunctive therapy (if any) used. The goal of immunotherapy has also varied with protocols. The goal of some protocols is to increase the threshold dose of allergen that can be safely consumed before onset of allergic reaction so as to prevent an allergic reaction upon accidental consumption. Other protocols aim to increase the threshold dose of allergen to that which is typically consumed in a normal diet. Limitations of therapy are the risk of adverse reactions during therapy, impermanence of desensitization, and lengthy treatment period.
