Hope seen for peanut allergy cure

SYDNEY — Australian researchers have reported a major breakthrough in the relief of deadly peanut allergies with the discovery of a long-lasting treatment they say offers hope that a cure will be found as soon as possible.

In clinical trials conducted by scientists at Melbourne’s Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, children with peanut allergies were given a probiotic along with small doses of a peanut protein over an 18-month period.

When the experiment ended in 2013, about 80 percent of the children were able to tolerate peanuts.

The research, published on Wednesday in the medical journal The Lancet, found that four years later, about 70 percent could still eat peanuts without an adverse reaction.

“These findings suggest our treatment is effective at inducing long-term tolerance, up to four years after completing treatment, and is safe,” said lead researcher Mimi Tang.

Food allergy affects one in 20 children and about two in 100 adults, with seafood, cow’s milk, eggs and peanuts among the most typical triggers.

Peanuts are one of the most common foods to cause anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal allergic reaction.

The researchers said the study provides the “strongest evidence yet” that a cure may be possible.

“This is a major step forward in identifying an effective treatment to address the food allergy problem,” Tang said.