Oral immunotherapy for the treatment of food allergy

Abstract

In the absence of a curative treatment, patients with food allergy continue to live with the risk of accidental exposure to food allergens and the possibility of severe allergic reactions. Over the last 5 years, research in the area of immunotherapy for food allergy has intensified. Although this novel therapeutic option has not reached routine clinical practice, results from immunotherapy studies have yielded encouraging results. In this review article, we will discuss the immunological mechanisms involved in tolerance induction and the clinical efficacy and safety of oral and sublingual immunotherapy for food allergy. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.