Allergy Screening Test: Introduction, Result, Result-Interpretation, Clinical Significance, and Keynotes

Introduction of Allergy Screening Test

Allergy screening tests or Allergy blood tests are used to detect allergens and allergens are substances that can cause allergic reactions. In some people, the immune system recognizes allergens as foreign. As a consequence, the immune system reacts by producing a type of antibody called IgE to defend against the allergen/s. In this assay, eighty common allergens are screened for clinical diagnosis.

Result of Allergy blood tests

It is may either detected/reactive (positive) or nondetected/non-reactive (negative).

Result-Interpretation of Allergy Screening Test

Positive: Indicates that the person likely has an allergy

Negative: Indicate that a person probably does not have a true allergy.

Clinical Significance (C/S) of Allergy Screening Test

A person with signs or symptoms that suggest an allergy to one or more substances.

Keynotes on Allergy Test

• This assay is performed for the detection of common allergens.
• Some common symptoms of allergic reactions are itching, watery eyes, a rash, a runny nose, sneezing, nasal or sinus congestion, and difficulty breathing.
• The commonest causes of allergies are food, animals, dust mites, pollen, fungi, and certain medications.
• Allergy can be tested by skin prick test (most common rapid, simple, and chip assay and it is useful for the identification of allergens that cause rhinitis, asthma, conjunctivitis, eczema, and suspected food or drug allergies venom allergies following insect sting), patch test (contact dermatitis-positive case shows swelling and redness), blood tests (serum immunoglobulin E detection), Challenge tests(under the close supervision of a health professional), and at-home allergy tests (not in practice nowadays).
• The symptoms of dust mite allergy are red itchy eyes runny nose, stuffiness, watery eyes, sneezing, cough post-nasal drip, and itchy throat or nose.
• In allergy blood tests, 2-3 ml of blood is collected in a red-protected vial (without anticoagulant).