Early life events in allergic sensitisation

The timing of events leading to allergic sensitisation has become a very im portant area in the attempt to halt the dramatic increase in the prevalence of diseases such as asthma, eczema and hay fever. Recent research has demo nstrated that events taking place during the gestational period may well pl ay a role in determining whether or not a genetic susceptibility becomes tr anslated into disease processes. Maternal atopy seems to have an important effect on the developing immune response of the infant and increases the ch ances of the child developing allergy in later life. Maternal IgE, IgG and amniotic fluid cytokines, combined with the presence of allergen in the fet e-maternal environment are all possible factors involved in the ultimate ou tcome in terms of infant Th-1/Th-2 responses to common environmental antige ns. Immune modulation at this stage of development may, in the future, be a way forward in the prevention of allergy.