• Question: how do people develop allergic reactions

    Asked by to Edward, Ian, Mathew, Naomi, sakshisharda on 17 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Naomi Osborne

      Naomi Osborne answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      Allergies are caused by our immune system being too sensitive and attacking things that are not harmful.

      How allergies develop still remains a bit of a mystery to scientists. Apart from inheriting allergies, it’s thought that gut bacteria play a role in making our immune system strong. If we’re not exposed to bacteria that are immune system acts on, it will start acting against harmless things like pollen and foods. So exposing ourselves to germs is thought to be good in a way!

    • Photo: Sakshi Sharda

      Sakshi Sharda answered on 18 Jun 2014:

      People develop allergic reactions from various things, such as pollen and sometimes even antibiotics! Our bodies have evolved to react towards cells that are foreign. Now a normal reaction against a foreign particle would be limited and after a while cleared, but in case of an allergy, the reaction is not contained and some of these particles may cause the immune system to dysfunction and produce substances that lead to a lot of inflammation. This may lead to sneezing or rashes on the skin or sometimes they even have to be admitted to the hospital. The worst are food allergies which are becoming very common these days!

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