Pollens, acariens, moisissures, animaux, aliments… notre monde devient de plus en plus allergisant. De l’« asthme d’orage » à Melbourne aux allergies alimentaires, ce film remonte l’histoire (Bostock, 1819), explique les mécanismes (IgE, mastocytes, anaphylaxie) et interroge l’héritage néandertalien.
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Climat, urbanisme (arbres mâles, faible biodiversité), pollution et détergents fragilisent nos barrières. Pistes: effet « ferme » (Amish), immunothérapie orale, biothérapies anti-cytokines, sélection de chats moins allergènes et introduction précoce des allergènes (arachide) pour prévenir.
00:01 – Monde allergique: pollens,poussières,aliments
01:31 – Melbourne 2016: l’asthme d’orage meurtrier
04:19 – Du rhume des foins à l’explosion moderne (1960→2050)
07:06 – Gènes néandertaliens & risques immunitaires
10:17 – Mécanisme: IgE,mastocytes,anaphylaxie
12:45 – Hypothèse des toxines: venins & protection
16:08 – Détergents & fuite des barrières épithéliales
21:19 – Villes allergènes: climat,arbres mâles,monocultures,orages
28:04 – Pollution gazeuse: allergènes modifiés,réaction accrue
29:48 – Effet ferme & solutions: Amish,immunothérapie,biothérapies,prévention
MONDE D’ALLERGIQUES
Un documentaire de Cosima Dannoritzer.
© Arte
#Allergies #Pollens #Asthme #Anaphylaxie #Immunothérapie #Néandertal #Climat #Pollution #Urbanisme #Santé
For people with allergies, our
world is becoming increasingly hostile. The worst enemies of the summer
season: pollen. In spring and summer, they
trigger bursts of sneezing. For many people,
shopping at the supermarket becomes heroic. Allergy sufferers should fill
their shopping carts with care. And just because you go home doesn’t mean
you’re safe. Dust and mold hidden
in corners are teeming with dust mites that cause allergies. Even cats can be
formidable, as can shrimp and peanuts, which can be fatal. Scientists around the world are trying
to understand this dramatic increase in allergies and opening the
way to new therapeutic avenues. Allergies have become commonplace, but they can still take countries
by surprise, such as Australia in Sheep have been essential
to Australia, and these sheep need large expanses of grass. The western half of Victoria is therefore
mainly pastureland. Recently, these wild herbs have been the
cause of an unprecedented health crisis. Botanists at the University
of Melbourne have studied them closely. November 21, 2016 was
the first warm day of spring. Temperatures were
in the high 30s and the northerly winds were blowing strongly. It was a bad day
because of the grass pollen. And then, late in the afternoon,
a thunderstorm began to form and the winds pushed it towards Melbourne. A humid air front carries with
it a myriad of pollen grains. All the elements are there
to trigger what is called a thunderstorm. As the storm front moved forward,
ambulances could be heard in Melbourne,
as if bombs had exploded all over the western sector. Like Karl, 8,500 people
rushed to the hospital that night. Arriving at the emergency department of
Box Hill Hospital was a real shock. People were queuing at the entrance,
sick people with their… There were some who were crying,
they were scared, you could see it. Their breathing was wheezing and they could
n’t catch their breath. It was a real nightmare. Ten people died in a few hours. A phenomenon that is becoming increasingly
common in Europe, the United States and the Middle East. Why do all
these people have asthma? And what is
suddenly attacking us? Pollen? Is the city being attacked
by pollen and thunderstorms? But that’s science fiction. In one, a nine-year-old child died
today at his school. He is believed to have suffered
an allergic reaction. All over the world,
substances thought to be harmless are becoming deadly killers. Yet, not so long ago, walking under an avenue of flowering trees did not cause so much sneezing. A British allergist, Gideon Lack,
wanted to find the first scientific studies carried out on allergies. He studied this surprising article,
published in London in 1819. John Bostock
describes a series of mysterious symptoms that occur
in June and July. Acute itching in the eye,
a stinging sensation, extremely inflamed eyes,
irritation of the nose, almost very violent attacks of eternum. This doctor had no knowledge
of the pathology, but magnificently described all the symptoms of what is
now called hay fever. John Bostock studied his own case,
because at the time, hay fever cases were so rare that he could
not find other subjects. It will take him nine years to identify
and study 28 different cases. The treatments offered
were, to say the least, bizarre. John Bostock
describes a number of treatments ranging from bloodletting,
which was quite common at the time, to purging, cupping,
a strict diet, opium, the use of which would
obviously be controversial today, to mercury treatments, and
cold baths. This shows how
little idea people had about what it was all about. They just empirically tested
several types of treatments. In late 19th-century
Victorian England, hay fever was portrayed
as an aristocratic illness, as it primarily affected
wealthy city dwellers. Advertisements for tobacco boast its
ability to relieve symptoms. But for decades,
allergic rhinitis remained rare, until suddenly,
in the 1960s, hay fever began to spread. It then affects 5% of the population. Today, John Bostock would have no
difficulty finding other sick people like himself. Hay fever now affects
20 to 30% of the population. It’s really interesting to see how
something that was so rare back then has become
completely commonplace today. By
2050, according to calculations by the World Allergy Organization,
4 billion people will be affected by some form
of allergic disease. The race is on to understand the origins of this allergy epidemic. The starting point for scientists is to
go back over the course of our evolutionary and genetic history. My name is Luz Quintana Murci. I play Indiana Jones to discover
our history, our origins, our migrations,
the relationships between Homo sapiens and other human forms
like the Neanderthals. This moment when the two species
meet is crucial in our history and that of allergies. Luis Quintana Murci came to
visit our ancestors. 60,000 years ago,
Homo sapiens left Africa. Very quickly, he settled in South Asia. Then it arrived in Europe
about 50,000 years ago. During all these migrations across
the world, humans had to adapt to different pathogens. With each new region,
new threats to Homo sapiens. Bacteria, viruses, venoms,
parasites or toxic plants. There is a shortcut to better adapting
to the environment, which is simply to interbreed with a population that is
itself adapted to the environment. When Sapiens meets Neanderthal,
it is not just an exchange of material, jewelry, adornments. There was also a real exchange of genes. In other words, there had been children. And thanks to this interbreeding, today,
all the genomes of Europeans and Asians, we carry about 2
to 3% of our genome that comes from a Neanderthal. Luis Quintana Murci is investigating what
role this gene exchange has played in our current health. It used a
unique database. The 1000 Genomes Project, or 1000 Genomes,
is an international consortium that provides access to complete genomes
available to everyone, from millions of people of different
geographical and ethnic origins from different parts of the planet. Louise Quintana-Murci compared the DNA
of modern Europeans and Asians to that of Neanderthals. The sequences where we still find
genes from our interbreeding with Neanderthals are
precisely linked to the immune system. Most of these genes have
made us more resistant to infections. But three of these ancient genes are
also involved in immune response deficiencies. Individuals who inherited this
set of mutations of Neanderthal origin are
unfortunately more likely to develop certain allergies today. What was beneficial in the past
is not necessarily beneficial today. So why have these genes that served
our ancestors’ survival now turned against us,
to the point of making us sick? Current scientific knowledge allows us to better understand
the mechanism of allergy. Let’s take the example of a
peanut allergy. Everything that enters our body is
controlled by our immune system. This one stands guard
against invaders. A peanut is harmless,
but in an allergic person, the immune system
mistakes it for a threat. It’s a false alarm,
but he’s already gone into defense mode. The cells begin to
mass produce antibodies, immunoglobulin E, IgE. Peanut-specific IGEs
attach to the surface of our immune system cells
, mast cells. The war on
peanuts has been declared. And
the next time the allergic person eats peanuts,
an entire army will be ready to attack the invader. Immune cells, called mast cells,
can release histamines and then cause
allergic reactions such as sneezing or rashes. In the worst case,
the immune system responds so violently and disproportionately
that it endangers vital functions. It is anaphylactic shock
that can be fatal. In this case, sometimes only a quick injection
of adrenaline can save the patient’s life. But why this total war
when the enemy is harmless? In Liège, Belgium, a young generation
of scientists is trying to explain it. Their approach is completely new. In the field. For a long time,
we thought that allergies were important for
immune defense against parasites. It is important to remember that an
allergic reaction can actually kill you and that it would
certainly not be in the best interest of the parasite,
which wants to maintain its thirst so that it can continue to live itself. So what are
allergies really for? Scientists have investigated
the so-called detoxin hypothesis, which suggests that allergies were
originally designed to protect us from toxins and venoms. This hypothesis seems the most logical,
because it explains the rapid and violent nature of allergic reactions
such as vomiting, sneezing or irritations. All these expulsion mechanisms have a
common goal: to get rid of the toxic substances
to which we are exposed as quickly as possible. The researchers developed
a laboratory experiment. They injected mice with a dose
of bee venom, equivalent to a few stings. The mice then had
an allergic reaction. Their immune cells
armed themselves with IGE against the bee venom. Then, later,
the researchers injected the mice with a lethal dose of bee venom. What is striking
is that the mice that were first exposed to the venom and developed
this allergic reaction survived. Those who had not previously received
bee stings all died. They then observed
the effect of the venom on the cells under an electron microscope. We put the venom on the cells,
then we start the video recording to see what
happens in the cells. Here they are still
alive and well. Yes.
And do you see the stopwatch? Yes. And when the venom works… And now she’s starting to die. On screen, these cells turn
turquoise blue as they die. The scientists then exposed
new cells to the venom and the substance released
during the allergic reaction. They then observed
that the cells remained alive. Mast cells appear to produce
something that either keeps the cells alive or neutralizes the bee venom. This protective mechanism works with
different types of venom and toxins. With this experiment,
we found that IGE antibodies, which are usually considered
the bad guys in triggering severe allergic reactions,
actually allowed the mice to survive. In our distant past, this mechanism
was undoubtedly very useful for our survival. Nowadays, it seems that this
device has started to go haywire in the presence of these seemingly
harmless substances. But for what reasons? It is possible that these substances are
less harmless than they appear. We must be aware that we live
in an increasingly toxic world. And the reaction the body develops
may just be a way to try to escape all these
toxic substances that surround us. This impact of the modern world on
allergies is being studied in particular in Switzerland. A century ago, Davos was a
renowned spa resort where patients came from all over the world to be treated for
tuberculosis by illustrious doctors. Today, Davos is home to an international community of scientists working on new
allergic diseases. After the 1960s,
we saw that there was a sharp increase in the prevalence
of these diseases. This was accompanied by a
change in our environment. It was during this period
that chemical detergents became widely used in homes. We wanted to analyze the link
between detergents and the increase in allergic diseases. Jessmy Agdis and her team
set up an experiment. We took a dishwasher,
loaded it with our usual daily dishes and added detergent. Jasmil Agdis also added some
pieces of sponge to take water samples. The idea is to estimate the extent to which we are exposed to detergent. We realized
that the amount of water used to rinse the dishes was not sufficient. After the rinse cycle,
a hot air drying cycle begins and all the detergents end up
stuck on the dishes, spoons and glasses that we
will use to feed ourselves or our babies
just an hour later. What happens when the
chemicals in household detergents come into direct contact with our
bodies through our clothes, plates,
tiles, and even tables? When analyzing
sponge samples, Jesmy Agdis found traces of detergent left after washing. He then seeks to understand its nature. When we look at what different
chemicals are used in detergents,
we see that many are on the list of biological risk agents. Enzymes, surfactants, preservatives,
chemical fragrances and dyes come into direct contact with our bodies after
using cleaning products. The Davos team then decided
to expose human lung cells to tiny amounts
of lye to see how they reacted. One of the main functions of our
biological tissues is to protect us from the external environment. Healthy cells have
strong walls called cell barriers. And these barriers are very tight, with no
space between individual cells. It is the front line of our defense against invaders. But cell cultures exposed
to the detergent reacted differently. The extent of the damage is
revealed under the microscope. Cellular barriers collapse and
spaces form between cells. This chipped cellular barrier
leaves the door wide open to all sorts of intruders that can
sneak into our bodies. From chemicals to microplastics,
microbes, toxins, or allergens,
everyone wants to be part of it. Our immune system’s security guards
are overwhelmed and can go into overdrive. When tissue barriers are
opened, microbes, allergens, toxins, and
environmental pollutants can all penetrate
deeper into the tissues. And asthma, atopic dermatitis,
allergic rhinitis can then be triggered. Our DNA, the bearer of
ancestral crossbreeding, a protective mechanism that is going haywire,
modern chemicals that weaken us,
everything comes together to make the world we live in
increasingly allergenic. Especially since our natural environment is also becoming more allergenic. In 2016, an event dubbed
the Pollen Apocalypse hit an entire city in the United States. In Japan, almost half
of the population suffers from pollen-related allergic diseases. Why are our cities so
invaded by such large quantities of pollen? In Granada, Paloma Carignanos conducted
a European study on the high allergy potential of city centers. Urban green spaces are
essential in cities. The problem is that they
are not well designed. They can emit large amounts
of allergenic pollen and harm the health of residents. So where exactly is
all this extra pollen coming from? Paloma Caresnianus’ inventory
reveals some culprits. It is an olive tree. And due to climate change,
its flowering now extends over more than a week. The longer the flowering period,
the more pollen the tree releases into the atmosphere and the more problems this poses
for allergy sufferers. Climate change is promoting
the spread of allergenic plants. In these new
environmental conditions, plants like these,
from the grass family, can conquer other territories. And if the conditions are
favorable, they become invasive. 30% of the population is
allergic to this family of pollen. Global warming,
invasive plants, and even new exotic varieties are making
the air in our cities increasingly polluted with pollen. But city centers are also
affected by another problem. In the plant world,
we can find some species that have their
male and female reproductive system on the same foot. But it is possible for other species
for males and females to be on separate feet. Like ginkobiloba, for example. The male tree produces pollen which
spreads long distances to reach the female plants
which will then produce the fruit. In the city, botanical sexism,
that is, discrimination against female specimens,
was widely practiced. This is the case of Granvia,
the busiest street in Granada. Behind me
you can see the 200 male gincobiloba trees that were planted during
the last renovation of the square. There are no female specimens. The fruits produced by
female plants can make pedestrians slip. They also provide more work
for cleaning crews, hence a preference for males, which
produce pollen. The last problem in the city center is
the lack of biodiversity. Like in this square where the only
variety of trees is the linden. Result: a concentration
of a single pollen. What happened
was that we had massive use of very little cash. And this is what is causing the major
pollen emission problems that exist
in many cities today. Plane trees are the perfect example
of this intensive monoculture. They are the most popular shade trees
in the world, but their pollen is also one of the most allergenic. Botanical sexism, culture without diversity,
global warming – with all these factors,
the concentration of pollen in our cities could
quadruple by 2050. Certain meteorological phenomena are making the situation even worse. Melbourne’s thunderstorm asthma,
which killed ten people in 2016, is a perfect example
well known to researchers. The humidity from a thunderstorm or rain
causes the pollen to absorb water. It swells and eventually bursts. In this process, the cellular contents
of the pollen are released into the air in tiny fragments. Breathe in, these particles go
deeper into the lungs and can trigger
even stronger symptoms there. Some of these symptoms are fatal. Jeanine Frelich leads a team
conducting innovative research on pollen grains
and their aggressive behavior. But it doesn’t seem to be
just about the amount of allergens in the air. Is it possible that allergens
themselves can transform? This is a great sample. This is our
air sample collector. Here we collect particles
from the air with filters. We are particularly interested
in biological particles present in the air
such as plant pollens, fungal species or even
bacteria or viruses, but also in small pieces of leaves
or flowers, and insect legs and wings. It’s all around us
and we don’t see any of it. Visible or not, we still breathe them in
, putting our lungs, but also our immune system, on alert. Have these particles always existed? What is certain is that new
elements are coming into play. Here we have an entire freezer
filled with samples of Mayan air. We have been collecting seven
days a week for five years. We will
now look at two samples. I have a sample here taken in winter. The
filter here is black because of soot particles that come from
exhaust gases, heating or factories. This second sample
was taken in April. It is much brighter. You can see a light yellow layer
due to pollen. Solid pollutants aggregate with pollen
to form a much more allergenic cocktail. All the more so since a third factor
comes into play: gaseous atmospheric pollution. Jeanine Frölich and her group are studying it
in a new experiment. We mixed the pollen proteins
with nitrogen oxide and ozone gases. We produced the ozone ourselves
from synthetic air that circulated through a gas pipe and
then through a UV lamp. Then we added the nitrogen oxides
and combined it all with our pollen protein buildings. A simulation of a process that
occurs every spring, near tree-lined roads. Proteins in pollen grains
react with ozone and nitrogen dioxide to form
chemically modified proteins. How do human cells grown
in the lab react to modified molecules? Look, the color is already changing. It looks good. Here we have a
light yellow and a dark yellow. Cells exposed to pollen mixed
with gas produced more substances that are associated with an
inflammatory response. This is shown by
the darker yellow color. In an allergic person,
this mixture likely triggers more severe symptoms. In other words,
the greater the pollution, the greater the risk of sneezing
or itchy eyes. So, is there a way out
of this spiral that involves nature, climate and pollution? Erika von Mutzius studied a community in the United States
with a very particular way of life. When you go to the Amish,
it’s a journey through time. They live like we did
100, 150 years ago and more. They have no pizza, no fast food,
no television, no cell phones. Another thing the Amish don’t have,
except in a few rare cases, is allergies. This peculiarity, specific to the Amish,
is a formidable subject of study for scientists. Traditionally living in seclusion, the
Amish nevertheless opened the door to them. Here’s what the researchers discovered. In Munich, 45% of children
tested for allergies tested positive. Among the Amish, this rate was 7%. There was not a single case of
hay fever among the children. And asthma, as we know it
here, is not present among the Amish either. The United States is home to other
traditional rural communities such as the Menonites or Uterites,
but only the Amish have such low allergy rates. Erika von Mutzius found
a crucial difference. I went to the Amish and
the Uterites. The farms in Miches consist of a
house that is located right next to the stables and barns
for horses and cows. The Uterites, for their part,
built their village around a church and a community center. The stables are very far away. This means that the children in the womb have
no contact with farm animals. Whereas on a farm
in Mich, everything is close by. So the children run around
everywhere, between the cows, the horses, the chickens and the house. They are in contact with them all the time. From a young age,
the Amish expose their immune systems to a rich cocktail
of microbes, plant and animal matter. They also consume unprocessed foods
and unpasteurized milk. The household products they come
into contact with are all homemade. Scientists call this
The Farm Effect. The further we have moved away from this
traditional way of life over the years, the more allergies have increased. And it seems to me that our immune system needs a stimulus from outside
to learn to become tolerant. So to speak,
they can’t do it alone. This is what we are increasingly losing
in the urban world. Back in Europe,
the scientists wanted to further research the farm’s effect. They have developed a European study
that follows a thousand children living
on livestock farms for 16 years. Suzanne Lolliger is
one of these researchers. She comes to take samples. Hi Fabian. We followed the children at 1,
4, 6, 10 years old and now at 16 years old. Since birth, Fabian has undergone regular tests. This is a skin test. An allergy test where
pollen solutions are placed on the skin. We prick it and then we check if there is a reaction to an allergen or not. Here we have a positive reaction,
but it’s the control test, so everything is fine. Other than that, we can’t see anything,
so you don’t seem to be allergic to these substances. Researchers want to know what
food, dust or other substances he is exposed to. Does it hurt? No, it doesn’t hurt.
Perfect. That’s all. It wasn’t that bad.
Alright. Suzanne Leliegeur and her colleague,
Raymo Frey, are investigating what factors may have protected Fabian and his
brothers from allergies. Children in cities and even
villages have much higher allergy rates than Fabien. What is the secret of his immunity? As with the Amish, scientists
found the answer in the stables. When in contact with animals,
sialic acid is transferred to humans, which is detectable
in the blood of these children. Sialic acid triggers an immune response in the body that protects it from inflammation. We found that these We
found that the children who had the most sialic acid
had more anti-inflammatory molecules in their blood,
which suppresses the inflammation caused by the allergy. In other words, we remain allergic,
but we no longer feel the allergy. Growing up on a farm
strengthens children’s immune systems to the point where they can keep
allergies that might flare up under control. But not everyone is lucky enough
to grow up surrounded by farm animals. So what should we do for little
city dwellers who have already developed an allergy? Is allergic to a whole range
of foods like nuts and bananas. Allergic reactions
that can be life-threatening. The boy began treatment
to retrain his immune system.
Hello Lucas. Good morning.
How are you ? Yes.
Immunotherapy. Yes.
Come on, go ahead. The treatment Lucas is
doing is oral peanut immunotherapy, which is… So, it’s the same
as desensitization. This involves giving him small
amounts of peanuts that he will tolerate so that little by little,
his immune system gets used to them and if he accidentally consumes them,
he does not have any reactions. So, are you going to eat your
peanut puff? Six months ago,
Dr. Billard gave Lucas only 2 milligrams of peanuts,
the equivalent of one-eightieth of a peanut. Each month the quantity
was increased very slightly. Today she wants to know if Lucas
is ready to take 20 milligrams. It’s crunchy, huh? This is not good. We know that when we do this
immunotherapy, we mainly see an increase in the tolerance antibodies that we
produce when we tolerate the food, which are immunoglobulin G4,
which will increase little by little with this immunotherapy. Any dose change must be done
in the hospital, under medical supervision, because the child
may have a sudden reaction. We monitored him for two hours
and there was no reaction at all. So, starting tomorrow,
he will be able to continue this dose at home,
according to the protocol he was given. And then he’ll come back in four to six
weeks to double that dose here at the hospital. Lucas must repeat the process every
day at home until he is ready for his next
hospital appointment. Lucas, it’s ready. Lucas will continue this treatment
until he is able to tolerate four peanuts at a time. And below. This protocol ensures that if one day,
by mistake, he eats a chocolate bar when he is a teenager or he says: No,
it won’t do anything to me, we avoid the risk to life. Immunotherapy can help many
allergy sufferers stay out of danger, but the treatment is lengthy
and few patients complete it. For other allergic diseases
such as asthma and dermatitis, there is now a treatment
that takes a completely different approach. Tommy is one of the 30 million
people in the United States living with asthma. I’m a dancer on Broadway and it’s
scary living there with asthma. An audition is very competitive. The best dancers from around the world
come to New York to dance on Broadway. Tommy’s charisma is triggered
by many factors: stress, exertion, environment,
but also allergies. I am allergic to dust,
mold, dirt. Backstage on Broadway,
you think it’s glamorous, but actually, these theaters are old. There is not much ventilation. There’s a lot of mold, so you
breathe all that in when you dance. There was a stage manager who always had
an aerosol can handy for me. Every time I finished the
biggest dance number in the show, I had to use it, right away. Regeneron is a laboratory at the forefront
of developing new drugs, particularly against Covid-19. Recently, this company developed
a new treatment for diseases like Tommy’s, in collaboration
with Stanford University. At the root of these diseases
are messengers called cytokines, which speak to different
cells throughout the body. In allergic patients,
this communication is disrupted, and cells send
inaccurate messages that cause phenomena such as inflammation. And it is this inflammation that triggers
allergy symptoms which can be, as for Tommy,
difficulty breathing. Instead of waiting for
symptoms to appear and treating them, Jemim Horengo’s innovation
targets the underlying inflammation. We have developed a drug
that specifically targets two proteins responsible for this type of inflammation. The drug interferes with these
proteins, preventing them from communicating with other cells and thus triggering
an immune response. The treatment consists of a simple
injection administered every two weeks. And thanks to it, the
inflammatory process is stopped. Before, when I had symptoms,
when I felt my lungs wheezing or contracting,
I treated the asthma with a spray. But now
I have no more symptoms. It’s as if the medicine
has a head start. But the medication is very expensive and is
only covered by his insurance when Tommy has work. In France, this treatment has recently become available
for asthma and allergic dermatitis. It is already costing health insurance 4 million euros
per month. The explosion of allergy epidemics
not only causes a medical crisis, but also poses a serious
problem for social security. When are you? Okay, Foxon, Finley, Falcon, and Faval. But new treatments
are not the only solution. In Portland, the Lundbergs
are convinced. They breed and sell
low-allergen , guaranteed sneeze-free Siberian cats. There are currently
eight major cat allergies. Different proteins, enzymes. The main one of the Pheldaea 1,
Phelis domesticus primus. It is responsible for about 70%
of all reactions to cats. Cat allergies are often thought to be
caused by the hair, but in fact, the allergen is on the hair. The allergen is secreted by
sebaceous glands, fur and saliva. When the cat grooms itself,
it releases a lot of it into the air. So, it is impossible to escape
the allergen, unless you have a Siberian cat. One in seven Siberians is mildly
allergenic, compared to one in 400 for other breeds. But in a litter,
which kitten will be compatible with someone suffering from a severe allergy? To find out which one, Tom and Mérédit
developed an exclusive test. There is Feldé1 in saliva from 11
weeks, but it is too early to test them. Kittens must be 12 weeks old. Roughing up the glands and
palate dilutes the sample. If you startle the cat,
the amount of FELD1 in the saliva will triple within seconds. Many tests must be performed
throughout the week to ensure a reliable result. We have the results of our tests. There is one kitten with a very
low rate, one normal and four average. We will place one in a family with
severe allergies and four in families with less severe allergies. In order to be adopted
by people with allergies, preparations are necessary
because the cat’s enzyme can remain present for up to 90 days after
the animal’s departure. Sarah is very allergic to cats,
but not only. So the Lundbergs
preferred to be cautious. Sarah, I’m glad to see you.
Go home. She comes to take
additional tests with Mérédit. This is the first kitten. I want you to take a deep breath. I don’t feel anything. Next kitten, weak to medium,
approach it and smell it. Yeah, pretty good. The third kitten is
already at an average level. Maybe too high for Sarah. No, I don’t feel anything.
Okay. Sarah still hasn’t
experienced any symptoms. The test may get tougher. Okay, Sarah, okay, Sarah,
what we’re going to do now is hold him against your face and put
your face in his fur and breathe. It’s beautiful. Now for the second, higher rate. My eyes sting a little. It stings a little, okay. This kitten is probably
too allergenic for you. Mérédie stops the test immediately. But Sarah, she
found her new companion. But rather than avoiding exposure
to allergies and treating the symptoms, can we find
more sustainable solutions? In the UK,
scientists are trying to prevent allergies
rather than cure them. Peanuts, for example,
are allergic to 4% of children. A number that has tripled
in just a few decades. I was really surprised when
I gave a lecture in Israel. I asked the audience of pediatricians
and allergists how many of them had seen a case
of peanut allergy. And only a few
raised their hands. Whereas in the UK,
all doctors would have lifted it. The rate was ten times
higher in Britain. Gideon Lack discovered
a crucial difference. British babies have been
conditioned to avoid peanuts, while Israeli babies are fed
peanut cakes from an early age. So we started to wonder
if we were going down the wrong path in the UK
and if not eating peanuts was the
very root of the problem. Gideon Lack has set up an
ambitious national study involving children at high risk
of food allergy. By high risk, I mean babies between 4
and 11 months old who are at higher risk of developing a peanut allergy. Babies with dry skin
and severe eczema or an egg allergy that appears early. With his team, they divided
640 babies into two groups. The first group stuck
to the official recommendation that told parents to avoid peanuts
during the first year of life. The second group received peanuts
from four months. After five years, Gideon Lack
compared the two groups. We found a
very significant reduction in the rate of peanut allergy in the group
of babies who had eaten them. Peanut allergy rates
dropped by up to 80%. The study proved that very early in life,
our immune system is much more open to meeting
new friends. It can thus develop
a tolerance mechanism. Other studies suggest that this
method also works with milk and eggs.
For decades, parents have been told to avoid giving food allergens to babies. It seems that the opposite should be done. It could be that for years
we have been causing food allergies by recommending
avoiding certain foods. Good morning.
Good morning. Hello, I’m Gideon Lack.
How are you ? Alright, I’m Matt.
How are you ? I am Anna.
And Lula. Your first child?
Yes. I understand you have
allergies in the family. Today, Gideon Lack advises
giving children potentially allergenic foods
as early as possible. Many people say that if you give
a small teaspoon every week, it will solve the problem. This is not the case at all. If you want to give
peanut butter, you should give one and a half
to two tablespoons per week, or about four to six
teaspoons of peanut butter. It’s easier to give if you
mix it with a food like banana, as babies love it. Quantity is important. Is she for or against? She says: What a bad parent. Why didn’t you do this before? Thank you so much. To effectively stop the
allergy epidemic, we need to change the way we raise our children. We need to reconnect with
nature to strengthen our immune systems from a young age. I have other dreams. For example, a farm nursery or daycare
where children would go to the barn or orchard
from a young age. How can we reintegrate this
rural life, which is disappearing, into society? We need to take
climate change seriously and rethink how we design our cities. One of the ideas I have is to create
a feminine garden where all the plants would be female
and there would be no possibility of pollen being emitted. So it would be a very healthy
and allergy-free space for anyone who would like to visit it. We need to rethink our way of life,
which is too dependent on industrial production and toxic substances
that disrupt our immune system. We are currently working
on recommendations that would allow us to regulate the use of detergents
and a substance that is harmful to humans. We really need to stop this so that our
children are no longer exposed to all these toxic products. Allergies are
warning signals that our body sends us. So let’s listen to them and take action.