Unfortunately, many patients are often misdiagnosed as allergic to penicillin. Penicillin allergy is the most frequently reported drug allergy, yet skin tests demonstrate that nine out of 10 patients reporting a penicillin allergy are not truly allergic. This represents a significant threat to public health, as an unverified penicillin allergy may lead to increased use of broad-spectrum antibiotics which are linked to increased antibiotic resistance, mortality rates, and overall healthcare costs.

In addition, many patients who do test positive for a penicillin allergy “grow out of it” over time. In fact, for those patients whose skin tests reveal a hypersensitivity to penicillin, more than half lose that sensitivity within five years, and approximately 80% lose that sensitivity within 10 years.

At ALK, we are proud to again join several other organizations as a sponsor of National Penicillin Allergy Day, a national awareness day to help educate the community on penicillin allergies and the importance of testing for this allergy to ensure proper diagnosis. Now in its third year, the day is celebrated on September 28^th in honor of the date Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin – also known as the world’s first antibiotic – in 1928.

We encourage healthcare professionals to consider conducting routine penicillin skin testing for patients who report a history of penicillin allergy to ensure a correct diagnosis and proper antibiotic use. Patients who think they are allergic should consider discussing their concerns with their healthcare providers, who can share the risks and benefits of testing.

Together, we can help patients receive the most efficient and cost-effective treatment options.

If you experience recurrent impairment of sleep and have a tendency of feeling a bit ill most of the year, it might be because of allergy caused by house dust mites. Many are unaware that they suffer from house dust mite allergy even though it can affect them heavily.

“House dust mites may be very small animals, but they are the most common trigger of indoor allergies,  causing symptoms such as blocked nose, repetitive sneezing, breathing difficulties and watery eyes, all of which can lead to poor and interrupted sleep resulting in daytime sleepiness and fatigue. ”, says international renowned allergy expert at ALK Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen

The mites live in common household places such as beddings, mattresses, and carpeting , and although there are things you can do to minimise the amount of mites – see fact box – it is not possible to eliminate them completely. 

Allergy affects both sleep and quality of life
One study has shown that allergy symptoms can impair sleep significantly and that the degree of impairment is comparable to the severity of the symptoms.  Sleep problems like these can cause fatigue and daytime sleepiness, as well as decreased productivity at work or school, and further lead to impaired learning and memory, depression, and ultimately reduce your quality of life. 

The symptoms to look for are:

• blocked or runny nose
• sneezing
• itching and watering eyes
• inflamed eyelids
• shortness of breath
• tight chest
• coughing and wheezing

If you experience some of these symptoms all year round you might be suffering house dust mite allergy and could benefit from consulting your doctor for further clarification. Your doctor can help with diagnosis and the right treatment that can relieve your symptoms.

Diagnosis and treatment are essential
Your doctor will probably start by asking about the history of your symptoms and conduct a skin prick test that can show if you have house dust mite allergy. Once your doctor knows whether you are allergic to house dust mites and has determined the severity of your symptoms, the next step will be to select the most suitable treatment for you.

“In deciding the best treatment for someone who suffers from house dust mite allergy, the intention is to provide a treatment that will reduce the symptoms, including allowing the person to sleep better at night and function better during the day as a result of feeling fully rested again. Furthermore, house dust mite allergy is closely linked to the development of asthma, emphasizing the importance of treating the condition,” says Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen.

Many different treatments can provide relief
There are many options for treating your house dust mite allergy. The options range from over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription symptomatic medicines, to more long-term treatments like allergy immunotherapy. The two overall ways of treatment have both shown to provide relief and put an end to the discomfort and the sensation of feeling ill, but there are some differences:

Symptomatic treatments work while taking the medicine, but have no long-term effect. They reduce the symptoms of allergy, but unlike allergy immunotherapy, do not induce tolerance. Most symptomatic treatments are available over-the-counter (OTC), e.g. in supermarkets or pharmacies. Symptomatic treatments can include antihistamines, nasal and inhaled steroids and decongestants.

Allergy immunotherapy treatment has a long-term effect with sustained improvement, including in the years following treatment. The main difference between symptomatic and immunotherapy treatment is that immunotherapy induces tolerance and alters the natural course of the disease.

Choosing a treatment option that is right for you should be decided in close consultation with your doctor. Influencing factors include the cause of your allergy and how severe your symptoms are.

First of all, it is worth knowing that house dust mites are the most common trigger of indoor allergies,  causing symptoms such as blocked nose, sneezing, sore eyes and breathing difficulties, all of which can lead to poor sleep that results in daytime sleepiness and fatigue.  On a day to day basis, all the symptoms can actually have a significant impact on your quality of life.

“Being aware that you suffer from house dust mite allergy and knowing the facts about the illness can mean a world of difference in making sure that you find relief for your symptoms, and put an end to feeling a bit ill all year round”, says international renowned allergy expert at ALK Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen.

Facts about house dust mites in the home
The allergy is triggered by allergens from house dust mites which are very small, eight legged animals that prefer living in dark places. The highest populations of house dust mites are found in the bedroom, mostly on mattresses, pillows and bed linen.  However, house dust mites can reside everywhere in homes, most commonly in upholstered furniture, carpets, rugs, curtains and soft toys. 

House dust mites can survive in all climates and are found in most homes all year round, making them very difficult to avoid.  Neither vacuuming nor any kind of dust mite spray or dry cleaning can get fully rid of the house dust mites, but it is possible to remove and minimise the exposure to the house dust mite allergen by making changes to your daily routines. 

Diagnosis and treatment are essential
If you suspect that you might suffer from house dust mite allergy, but have not been tested or diagnosed yet, you should consult your doctor. The doctor will typically ask about the history of your symptoms and perform a skin prick to clarify if you have house dust mite allergy. This is an important first step in your fight against the symptoms because once you know if you suffer from house dust mite allergy the disease can be controlled by one of the many treatments available from your doctor.

“When people with house dust mite allergy receive the right treatment, there is often great progress to be seen. Suddenly, these people sleep much better at night and function better during the day than many might have in years. Furthermore house dust mite allergy is closely linked to the development of asthma which emphasise the importance of taking the condition seriously and actively seeking diagnosis and treatment”, says Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen.

You have different treatment options
There are many options for treating your house dust mite allergy. The options range from over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription symptomatic medicines, to more long-term treatments like allergy immunotherapy. The two overall ways of treatment have both shown to provide relief and put an end to the discomfort and the sensation of feeling ill, but there are some differences:

Symptomatic treatments work while taking the medicine, but have no long-term effect. They reduce the symptoms of allergy, but unlike allergy immunotherapy, do not induce tolerance. Most symptomatic treatments are available over-the-counter (OTC), e.g. in supermarkets or pharmacies. Symptomatic treatments can include antihistamines, nasal and inhaled steroids and decongestants.

Allergy immunotherapy treatment has a long-term effect with sustained improvement, including in the years following treatment. The main difference between symptomatic and immunotherapy treatment is that immunotherapy induces tolerance and alters the natural course of the disease.

Choosing a treatment option that is right for you should be decided in close consultation with your doctor. Influencing factors include the cause of your allergy and how severe your symptoms are.

Okay truth be told, the monsters are quite small, but there are millions of them – actually, the average person shares a bed with over two million of them. The monsters can be found everywhere in the house, but they especially bedrooms and other parts of the home with upholstered furniture, carpets, rugs, curtains and soft toys.  They have eight legs, prefer dark places and they are better known as house dust mites. 

“House dust mites might just be small animals, but they are also the most common trigger of indoor allergies,  causing symptoms such as blocked or runny nose, repetitive sneezing, breathing difficulties and eye irritation, leading to recurrent impairment of sleep resulting in daytime sleepiness and fatigue”, says international renowned allergy expert at ALK Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen.

The monsters are eating your skin
House dust mites thrive in our homes because we provide them with both humidity and food.  They prefer warm, moist environments where they can feed on our dead skin cells.  They are generally harmless in the sense that they do not carry or transmit diseases and they do not bite, sting or burrow into our skin.

However, house dust mites are still a major source of allergy for people all over the world,  causing runny noses, sneezing and teary eyes  which can further lead to difficulties sleeping  and even asthma.

If you recognise some of the mentioned symptoms and feel the impact on your life all year round, it is possible that you suffer from allergy caused by house dust mites.

“If you suspect house dust mite allergy and have not been diagnosed yet, you should consult your doctor for a test and further clarification of your symptoms”, says Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen.

 

Your doctor can help fight the monsters
Your doctor will probably ask about the history of your symptoms and conduct a skin prick test that can show if you have house dust mite allergy. A prober diagnosis is an important first step in your fight against the symptoms.

“If you suffer from house dust mite allergy, your quality of life can be improved significantly when you start to receive the right treatment. This is one very good reason for getting treated, however another one, equally important, is the fact that untreated allergy is considered a risk factor in the development of asthma,” says Jørgen Nedergaard Larsen.

 

Monsters don't like medicine
Or actually that is not strictly true because mites do not care whether your symptoms are controlled by medicine, but you might feel a world of difference. And luckily, there are many options for treating your house dust mite allergy. The options range from over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription symptomatic medicines, to more long-term treatments like allergy immunotherapy. The two overall ways of treatment have both shown to provide relief and put an end to the discomfort and the sensation of feeling ill, but there are some differences:

Symptomatic treatments work while taking the medicine, but have no long-term effect. They reduce the symptoms of allergy, but unlike allergy immunotherapy, do not induce tolerance. Most symptomatic treatments are available over-the-counter (OTC), e.g. in supermarkets or pharmacies. Symptomatic treatments can include antihistamines, nasal and inhaled steroids and decongestants.

 

The right treatment option
Allergy immunotherapy treatment has a long-term effect with sustained improvement, including in the years following treatment. The main difference between symptomatic and immunotherapy treatment is that immunotherapy induces tolerance and alters the natural course of the disease.

Choosing a treatment option that is right for you should be decided in close consultation with your doctor. Influencing factors include the cause of your allergy and how severe your symptoms are.

And once you are receiving the right treatment, the monsters can no longer play tricks on you while they are lurking around waiting for their treat.

Happy Halloween!