ABSTRACT
Allergen challenges can serve as a valuable tool in the diagnosis of allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, and food allergy. The introduction of allergen into the airways, ingested orally, or via the skin (epicutaneous) can cause an allergic response, which can be used to support an allergy diagnosis. When performed in a controlled environment, these challenges can be used to assess the efficacy of different anti-allergic medications and new immunotherapies. However, with the variety of delivery devices and types of allergens available, challenge protocols must be optimized before use. This chapter provides an overview of different challenge techniques related to nasal, bronchial, oral, and epicutaneous provocations. This chapter discusses commonly used protocols, the types of delivery devices available, allergen preparation, evaluation of challenge responses, and patient safety. Insect sting challenge will not be discussed in this chapter.
