Consensus document on dog and cat allergy.
The prevalence of sensitization to dogs and cats varies by country, exposure time and predisposition to atopy. It is estimated that 26% of European adults coming to the clinic for suspected allergy to inhalant allergens are sensitized to cats and 27% to dogs. This document is intended to be a useful tool for clinicians involved in the management of people with dog or cat allergy. It was prepared from a consensus process based on the RAND/UCLA method. Following a literature review, it proposes various recommendations concerning the diagnosis and treatment of these patients, grounded in evidence and clinical experience. The diagnosis of dog and cat allergy is based on a medical history and physical examination that are consistent with each other and is confirmed with positive results on specific IgE skin tests. Sometimes, especially in polysensitized patients, molecular diagnosis is strongly recommended. Although the most advisable measure would be to avoid the animal, this is often impossible and associated with a major emotional impact. Furthermore, indirect exposure to allergens occurs in environments in which animals are not present. Immunotherapy is emerging as a potential solution to this problem, although further supporting studies are needed.
['Dávila|I|I|', 'Domínguez-Ortega|J|J|', 'Navarro-Pulido|A|A|', 'Alonso|A|A|', 'Antolín-Amerigo|D|D|', 'González-Mancebo|E|E|', 'Martín-García|C|C|', 'Núñez-Acevedo|B|B|', 'Prior|N|N|', 'Reche|M|M|', 'Rosado|A|A|', 'Ruiz-Hornillos|J|J|', 'Sánchez|M C|MC|', 'Torrecillas|M|M|']
D000465:Algorithms D000485:Allergens D000818:Animals D002415:Cats D003131:Combined Modality Therapy D032921:Consensus D004198:Disease Susceptibility D004285:Dogs D006967:Hypersensitivity D007114:Immunization D007073:Immunoglobulin E D057805:Pets D015995:Prevalence D011788:Quality of Life D012882:Skin Tests
allergen immunotherapy allergic sensitisation furry animals hypersensitivity