Fecal transplant can help in easing peanut allergies, says study
A clinical trial has shown that adults with peanut allergies can eat small doses
Have peanut allergies, but want to savour it? Well, don’t fret, there is a way as a clinical trial in the US has shown that adults, who have such allergies can eat small doses if they undergo fecal transplants, a hospital announced on Saturday.
Fecal microbiota transplanted out of non-allergic donors into allergic people, who earlier could only eat less than half a peanut before reacting, has shown positive results as the adults become resilient to two peanuts, Boston Children's Hospital said.
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Dr Rima Rachid, lead investigator and co-director, Food Allergy Program at the hospital, said, "These results were very encouraging. A single FMT led to a significant increase in the threshold of reactivity to peanut at both one month and four months after treatment, showing that the effect was prolonged. This study is offering hope that microbiome interventions may be effective in food allergy."
Intestinal bacteria are a very critical part of the immune system, the researchers said. The study's samples came from OpenBiome, a non-profit stool bank in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The study had included 15 participants from 18 to 33 years of age, with one participant gaining the ability to eat as many as four peanuts without a reaction.
(With inputs from agencies)