What role do genes play in egg, milk, and nut allergies? A study published in Nature Communications, led by the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, has found five genetic risk loci that point to the importance of skin and mucous membrane barriers and the immune system in the development of food allergies.

An estimated five to eight percent of all children suffer from food allergies. They usually appear in the first years of life and manifest themselves in the form of itchy rashes and facial swellings, which occur shortly after food ingestion. Food allergies can, however, also cause severe allergic reactions involving breathing difficulties, vomiting, or diarrhea, and are the most frequent triggers of anaphylaxis in children. Anaphylaxis is the most extreme form of an immediate allergic reaction and can be life-threatening.