New Australian research shows evidence for pre-birth programming of food allergies

The latest studies in the field of allergy will be presented at the EAACI-WAO Congress 2013 in Milan, starting June 22

• Australian research shows environmental factors prior to birth influence later susceptibility to food allergies
• Pre-birth environmental factors may induce changes in genetic material
• Food allergies in first 12 months after birth "programmed" at fetal stage
• "Early origins of allergy" one of many key topics at Congress
• World's largest congress on allergy with over 8,000 delegates from over 100 countries to present new ways of treating allergies

Among the many new findings presented at the EAACI-WAO World Allergy and Asthma Congress 2013 in Milan from 22-26 June 2013 is new Australian research providing proof for pre-birth programming of food allergies, showing that prenatal environmental factors may already determine predispositions for food allergies rather than only genetic factors. The study shows that babies can be born with a tendency to develop food allergies due to environmental factors during pregnancy

Finding answers to the growing global health challenge of allergies is the objective of the World's largest Congress on allergy and immunology. The Congress is jointly hosted by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and the World Allergy Organization (WAO).

Over 8,000 delegates from more than 100 countries are expected to join the EAACI-WAO World Allergy and Asthma Congress 2013 to present and discuss the latest advances in the field of allergy and clinical immunology, making it the leading medical congress on allergy and immunology globally. Ground-breaking research will be presented with the goals of: reducing the impact of allergy by early detection, finding ways of preventing, and improving the treatment of the growing number of patients.

Early origins of allergy will be a key topic during the EAACI-WAO World Allergy and Asthma Congress 2013 as well as biomarkers of allergy and asthma and clinical progress in immunology.

EAACI-WAO World Allergy and Asthma Congress 2013

The programme of 8 Plenary Symposia, 45 Symposia, 3 Satellite Symposia, 30 Meet the Expert Sessions, 25 Workshops and 34 Oral Abstract Sessions, is dedicated to communicating the most up-to-date information in the field. A total of 2,145 abstracts have been received - the highest number ever in the history of all allergy congresses, reflecting that allergies have become a severe challenge to health in all parts of world.

Professor Cezmi Akdis, EAACI President, and Congress president said that "Allergies and asthma are major public health problems affecting the lives of several hundred million people around the world, with an increasing prevalence in developing countries. Governments, and the general public, face huge direct and indirect costs, with major effects on macroeconomics due to health-care costs and loss of productivity of patients. I am confident that this congress will bring a lot of new information to tackle this huge and increasing global health problem."

Professor Ruby Pawankar, President of the World Allergy Organization and Congress President said that "With the increasing severity and complexity of allergic diseases as societies become affluent, the major concern lies in that children bear the greatest burden of these trends. A multidisciplinary approach to address this major public health issue is the need of the hour and the Congress will clearly address the various challenges to patient care and the way forward to meet some of the unmet needs."

Professor Giorgio Walter Canonica, Chair of the Local Organizing Committee of the Congress, said that "The growing impact of allergy burden worldwide is also a reality in Italy. Both the prevalence and the cost of allergy are continuously growing. The Milan Congress will offer a unique opportunity to learn about all the current and future strategies (pharmacological or otherwise) to contrast allergies, from mechanisms to symptoms. The Congress will be a unique opportunity thanks to the active participation of the most distinguished scientists in the field. The Italian Allergy Societies (AAITO and SIAIC) are pleased to host and to contribute to the success of the Congress."