Can the allergic march from infant food allergy to asthma be prevented?

Summary A PhD project is available to (1) evaluate the role food allergy and eczema play in the development of asthma, hayfever, and impaired lung growth up to age 10 years, and (2) identify modifiable risk factors for the progression from infant food allergy to chronic allergic and/or respiratory disease.

Project Details

Australia has one of the highest prevalences of allergic diseases in the developed world and it has a major impact on the health of Australia's children.  Around 25% of children have eczema, 15% have asthma and 10% have a food allergy. The allergic march describes the pattern where infants with food allergy and eczema in early life, have an increased risk of developing asthma and rhinitis in later childhood. The National Academy of Sciences (USA) report specified an urgent need to quantify the adverse consequences of food allergy on later respiratory health and identify modifiable factors to prevent the progression from early life food allergy to chronic respiratory disease.

The HealthNuts, longitudinal, population-based cohort consists of 5300 children recruited at 12 months of age with gold-standard measures of food allergy. The cohort has been followed-up at 6 and 10 years of age, and children participated in a comprehensive health assessment which included objective measures of common allergic diseases (e.g. skin prick tests, oral food challenges, lung function test).

A PhD project is available to (1) evaluate the role food allergy and eczema play in the development of asthma, hayfever, and impaired lung growth up to age 10 years, and (2) identify modifiable risk factors for the progression from infant food allergy to chronic allergic and/or respiratory disease. This project would suit a student with an interest in epidemiology, allergy, respiratory health, pediatrics, and population health.