CONSANGUINIT
Y ATOPY
Consanguinity
• Definition:
• Consanguinity refers to relationship by blood (being from
the same family) or by a common ancestor.
Consanguineous
marriage
• Definition:
• Itis defined as marriage between close blood
relatives who have at least one common ancestor.
Risks of Consanguinity
• Congenital Malformations: Eg. Anencephally, Cleft
lip, cleft palate etc.
• Phenotypic characteristics:
• Blindness, Hearing Loss, seizures
Risks of Consanguinity
• Metabolic Disorders:
• Phenylketonuria is three times more common than in
general population
• Other disorders: Mental Retardation, Primary
amenorrhea etc.
Atopy
• - The term Coined by Coca ( 1923)
Atopy is hereditary predisposition toward developing type I
hypersensitivity reactions on exposure to specific antigens.
Atopy includes
• Allergic Disease –Hay fever ( a Seasonal Illness –
sneezing, sniffing, running nose and itchy or watery
eyes)
Atopy includes
• Allergic Disease –Asthma, chronic urticaria
Allergy &
Allergen
• Allergy is defined as abnormally high sensitivity
to
antigens known as allergens.
• Allergens may be:
• Inhaled (Pollen, house dust or micro organisms)
• Ingested (egg, milk or other food)
• Contact allergens- In contact with the surface like skin or
conjunctiva
Allergy &
Allergen
Allergens may be:
• Inhaled (Pollen, house dust or micro organisms)
• Ingested (eggs, milk or other food)
• Contact allergens- In contact with the surface like skin or
conjunctiva
• The antigens causing atopy (allergens) induce IgE type of
antibodies.
Causes
• Genetic Factors:
• It may run in families. In atopic individuals large quantities of
IgE antibodies are produced.
Causes
Environmental Factors: It play a role in the development of
atopy.
• Bottle-Fed: Bottle fed tends to develop atopy in later life
more often than the breast fed babies.
Causes
• Maternal Diet
• Maternal diet during pregnancy may be a causal factor in atopic
diseases in child, suggesting antioxidants certain lipids, certain
diet may help to prevent atopic diseases.
Signs & Symptoms
• Depend on Entry of antigens (Pollen) :
• Exposure to Eyes (Conjunctivitis)
• Nose (Rhinitis)
• Skin (Dermatitis)
• GI
• Common feature of allergy:
• Sneezing, Itching and skin rashes.
Prenatal Nutrition and Food Allergies
• Allergic diseases are common cause of illness. Diet during
early childhood is an important factor determining the
development of allergy.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
• Maternal Diet and Atopy:
• The risk of atopy in the child can be reduced if the mother
avoids allergenic foods during pregnancy and lactation.
• Eg. For common food with allergens include milk,
egg,
fish and peanuts.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
• Infant Nutrition
• - Breast feeding and its benefit in atopy
• Exclusive Breastfeeding: Lower incidence of atopic diseases and food
allergy.
• The baby formulas contain proteins which may be allergens.
• Breastfeeding reduces frequency of GI infections
• Human breast milk contains anti inflammatory factors and
antibodies.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
• Prolonged Breast feeding:
• If exclusive breast feeding is done beyond 4 months ,it reduces the
occurrence of allergic disease.
• It gives protection against allergy.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
-Milk supplement:
The supplement by a hypoallergenic hydrolysate milk formula is distinctly
better than a conventional cows’ milk formula or a soya- milk formula.
-Delayed Introduction of Allergic solid Food:
Like dairy products, eggs, fish, nuts and soya bean in the child’s diet
reduces the risk of atopy
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
- Low exposure to Environmental Agents:
Lessening exposure to dust mites, animals and tobacco smoke
reduces the risk of allergy.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
• Identification of High Allergy Risk Newborns:
• It will help in implementing preventive measures for allergy and also
to motivate the parents to follow those measures.
• Parents with atopy: If both parents are having atopic disease, the risk
of developing allergies in the child is greater than if only one of them is
affected.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
• IgE Level in Cord blood:
• If cord- blood immunoglobulin (Ig)E is elevated, the risk is high irrespective
of family history, conversely, low cord-blood IgE is associated with
relatively low-risk.
Factors which decrease the incidence
allergy
• Reduction in number of CD8 + suppressor cells
• CD8+cells play an important immunoregulatory role in IgE production.
• Reduction in CD8+ suppressor cells during the first few days of life,
increase the risk of allergy.
