Immunotherapy for allergic reactions.

Abstract

In this review, hyposensitization or immunotherapy will be discussed. The earliest immunotherapy was applicated in allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma and rhinitis. The most important indication has become the treatment of hymenoptera allergy. Some less frequently indications are associated with drug allergy. Immunotherapy is most frequently indicated in IgE mediated diseases, but new applications for cell mediated reactions will be described. With the introduction of molecular biology in allergology new theoretical possibilities emerged: use of peptide antigens, recombinant allergens, anticytokines.... Unfortunately, these newer approaches did not (yet) cause a breakthrough. The cost of these products will be a major draw back, even when ethical problems for using them on a larger scale will have been solved.