Top in allergy/asthma: Highlights from the AAAAI Annual Meeting

At the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting, an expert shared ways in which patients can control their pet allergy symptoms without removing pets from the home.

Some of the tips included feeding cats specialized food to reduce Fel d 1 secretions, and bathing dogs twice a week to reduce the level of allergens. Additionally, running air purifiers all day long and aggressively cleaning with vacuums that have HEPA filters can remove allergens from the home.

There is also research suggesting that “veterinary colleagues might be able to offer vaccination for cats to reduce allergen exposure” in the future, according to Amanda Michaud, DMSc, PA-C, AE-C, a physician assistant with Family Allergy and Asthma Consultants in Jacksonville, Florida.

It was the top story in allergy/asthma last week.

In another top story, findings from a poster presented at the meeting showed that asthma was the most common comorbidity associated with chronic cough, followed by gastroesophageal reflux disease, allergic rhinitis and hypertension.

“This poster was about a self-reported survey from patients about chronic cough,” Alisa Gnaensky, BS, a master’s student in biomedical sciences at the University of Manchester, told Healio.

The survey puts physicians “in the right direction to actually diagnose chronic cough, which has been really difficult to diagnose because it has such comorbidities,” Gnaensky added.

Read these and more top stories in allergy/asthma below:

Pet owners with allergy can mitigate environmental exposures to allergens

Patients can keep their furry, four-legged friends and still control their pet allergy symptoms, according to a presentation at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting. Read more.

Multiple comorbidities, triggers associated with chronic cough

Asthma was the most common comorbidity associated with chronic cough, findings showed. Read more.

Indoor pest allergens associated with upper respiratory infections

Concentrations of indoor pest allergens were consistently associated with upper respiratory infections, according to an abstract. Read more.

Toothpaste provides oral mucosal immunotherapy for peanut allergy

Adults with peanut allergy safely used toothpaste infused with peanut protein as oral mucosal immunotherapy, researchers reported. Read more.

Baked milk oral immunotherapy effective at 12 and 24 months

Children were desensitized to baked and unheated milk with 12 and 24 months of baked milk oral immunotherapy, according to a study. Read more.