Comprehensive Allergy Test

Why test for common allergies?

Allergies are widespread and have become more and more common over the past few decades. The most common are allergies to pollen, animal hair and dust mites. But other triggers, such as food, also play a role – and these allergies are often difficult to recognise in day-to-day life.

If you have allergic symptoms and cannot determine the cause, an IgE test can be of great help. With our Big Allergy Test, you can cover a range of possible triggers and investigate allergies you might not have thought or heard of. You can also screen for cross-reactions – these cross-reactions often cause people to react to other substances, usually foods, because of their allergy.

Who should take the Comprehensive Allergy Test?

IgE allergy testing can be useful for anyone who suffers from allergy symptoms and has not yet found the exact cause of their symptoms.

Many people think that if they did not develop allergies as a child, they will not develop them as an adult. This is not the case. It is true that many allergies develop in childhood, but in some cases, adults can develop allergies too.

How does the IgE blood test work?

To do the IgE allergy test, you take a small sample of blood from your fingertip with a lancet. You only need a few drops of blood. Place the drops on two dried blood spot cards – this way, you only have to take a very small amount of blood, and the sample can be stored for a long time.

The sample is sent free of charge to our specialised medical laboratory in a return envelope. The laboratory analyses the number of IgE antibodies against 61 different allergens. After the lab analysis, you will receive a notification telling you to access your results report via your online account or the My cerascreen® app.

What will the results tell me?

The Comprehensive Allergy Test results report tells you which allergens are responsible for the highest amounts of IgE antibodies in your blood. You will find out how strongly you reacted to these allergens, if at all.

A table in the report shows how sensitised you are to the 61 allergens tested. This sensitisation represents the likelihood of your immune system having an allergic reaction to various triggers. This – together with existing symptoms – is an indication that you have an allergy.

The report also lets you know if you have any cross-allergies, which occur when your body reacts to allergens with a similar protein structure.

Which recommendations will I receive after the test?

Elevated IgE levels are a sign of allergy but are not an official diagnosis. High IgE values are not always accompanied by symptoms and sometimes do not cause any health problems. You can use the results from the Big Allergy Test as an initial indication to allow you to then look more closely at your symptoms and how these could be linked with triggers in your daily life.

A reliable allergy diagnosis can only be made by doctors who, in addition to the test results, will take into account the history of your symptoms. As a rule, you will also receive further recommendations for action from them.

In addition, you will receive information about possible cross-allergies, which often develop between pollen and food or between house dust and shellfish, for example.

The results report also gives you advice on how to optimise your gut health. Healthy gut flora can possibly help prevent allergies and perhaps even reduce the impact of allergic reactions in those affected.

Which allergens are analysed?

The cerascreen® Comprehensive Allergy Test measures the concentration of IgE antibodies against 61 different allergens.

Pollen: Ragweed, mugwort, ribbed grass, glasswort, prickly pear, alder, birch, hazelnut, olive, poplar, cypress, dogtooth grass, bahia, grass mix, timothy grass, rye

Animal hair: mite mix, cat, horse, dog, cockroach mix

Vegetables: tomato, carrot, celery, garlic, onion, green bean, potato

Fruit: banana, orange, strawberry, apple, peach, kiwi, pineapple, mango

Animal products: egg white, milk, cod, salmon, tuna, shrimp, beef, lamb, chicken

Cereals: wheat, barley, oats, corn, rice

Nuts, seeds and legumes: hazelnut, almond, peanut, sesame, soya

Others: mustard, ginger, latex, Cladosporium herbarum

What are IgE antibodies?

If you have an allergy, your body’s defence is disrupted. Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), your immune system’s antibodies, play a central role in allergic reactions.

During an allergic reaction, your immune system produces too many of these specific IgE antibodies in your body. When they encounter harmless proteins found, for example, in food, animal hair, pollen and dust mites, they stop your immune system from functioning normally. As a result, mast cells, a type of immune cell, release a messenger substance called histamine. Histamine then causes inflammation, which, in turn, leads to typical allergy symptoms.

What symptoms do you have if you have an allergy?

The most common allergies, for which we screen in this IgE allergy test, are allergies where symptoms appear immediately or shortly after contact with the respective allergens.

Typical allergy symptoms are:

• Asthma, coughing and breathing difficulties
• Rhinitis, sneezing and inflamed nose
• Itching and burning of the eyes
• Skin rashes
• Swelling of the eyes, mouth or throat
• Gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhoea and constipation

What consequences can an allergy have?

Allergies are naturally unpleasant. Some, like pollen allergies, recur every year and are difficult to avoid. Others, such as food allergies, restrict many people in terms of what they can eat, while dust mite allergies mean that people have to rearrange their homes.

In addition, untreated allergies can be accompanied by a number of secondary symptoms. This is particularly the case for allergies, such as pollen, pets and dust mites. They can increase the risk of long-term allergic asthma if you are constantly exposed to allergens. If your mucous membranes are constantly irritated, your risk of developing sinusitis also increases.

What are cross-allergies?

With an allergy, your immune system reacts to allergens, which are certain proteins present in food, pollen, animal dander, etc. These allergens are sometimes very similar in their chemical structure, which can trigger a cross-reaction. This is where your body reacts to certain substances because you are allergic to other substances.

Cross-reactions between pollen allergy and certain types of fruit, vegetables and nuts are the most common. People who are allergic to birch pollen exhibit allergy symptoms when they eat fruit, often apples, for example. Typical symptoms are a tingling sensation in your mouth, itching or burning in the mouth area or facial swelling.

What cross-allergies are there?

Cross-reactions can occur between very different allergens. Here, we have listed some examples of typical and common cross-allergies:

Pollen and food: Cross-reactivity often occurs with pollen and food – particularly, tree pollen (especially birch) and fruit and vegetables. An allergy to grass pollen can trigger cross-reactions with certain types of vegetables – for example, cabbage, spinach, leeks, cucumbers and peppers.

House dust and molluscs: House dust mites are distantly related to crustaceans and molluscs. Therefore, people who are allergic to house dust may also react to shrimp and similar foods.

Latex and fruit and vegetables: People with latex allergies sometimes react to certain fruits – for example, bananas, kiwis, figs and avocados.

What should I do if I have an allergy?

The most important measure you should take against an allergy is always to avoid the triggers as much as possible. Allergies are generally not curable, although they sometimes disappear on their own.

Depending on the allergies you have, this is sometimes easier, sometimes more difficult. For example, you can often avoid foods by paying attention to the allergen information on food packaging and in restaurants. If you are allergic to latex, pay attention to the ingredients in rubber gloves, condoms and other everyday items and look for latex-free alternatives.

During pollen season, it is almost impossible to avoid pollen completely. Timely ventilation, special pollen screens and masks, and hygiene measures to prevent pollen from entering your bedroom can help.

If it is not possible to avoid allergens – for example, because of pollen density, medication can relieve your symptoms in the short term. The most common medications are antihistamines, but you should not take them permanently. If symptoms are severe, doctors may also prescribe special sprays and nose drops.

Can you treat allergies?

The only known allergy treatment is specific immunotherapy. However, at present, this treatment method is only possible against certain allergens. For example, it can work for allergies to pollen or animal hair. Food allergies, on the other hand, cannot usually be treated with immunotherapy.

During immunotherapy treatment, you will receive a low dose of the allergen at regular intervals, either by injection or by drops or tablets under your tongue. This treatment usually lasts up to three years. The aim is to reprogram your immune system so that your defences no longer react to harmless allergens. However, this approach is not always successful.

If you are interested in immunotherapy for your allergy, consult an allergy specialist.

Who should NOT take the Big Allergy Test?

The Big Allergy Test is not or only partially suitable for certain groups of people:

People with infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, may not use the Big AllergyTest.

People with haemophilia should not take the test.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should only take the Big Allergy Test under medical supervision. The given reference ranges and recommendations do not apply to people in this group; consult your medical professional for advice concerning your test results.

The Big Allergy Test is not intended for children under 18 years of age.

The test is not intended for diagnosing illnesses or disease. For example, if you suffer extreme physical pain, consult a doctor.