Molecular diagnosis of allergies ALEX2-test

Why this test?

The multi-component modern allergy test ALEX2 allows simultaneous sensitivity determination to 295 allergens. The multiplex strategies use makes it possible to simultaneously determine a large number of specific immunoglobulins E as markers of the sensitization presence or allergic disease.

In what cases is it prescribed?

The ALEX Molecular Allergy Test should be considered if the patient has allergy suggestive symptoms. Allergic reactions can have different forms. Most often, after contact with a certain allergen, patients have the following symptoms: sneezing, coughing, lacrimation, nasal congestion (runny nose), skin rash, itching, erythema, swelling, breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. If there is a need to identify cross-allergy. Thanks to the modern technology used in the ALEX test, it is very easy to distinguish a primary allergy from one that develops due to a cross-reaction, which is the result of the allergens similarity. In case of diagnostic difficulties presence during the allergic reaction disease diagnostics.

Information about the test

Allergies are a very common group of diseases that affect up to 30-40% of the population. The basis of these diseases is an abnormal, excessive reaction of the human immune system to compounds that are not harmful to the body under physiological conditions (allergens). An allergen can be almost any substance, but usually it is pollen (seasonal allergy, most common in spring), dust, some food substances (for example, peanuts), insect poison, animal fur. Allergies can take different forms - from skin allergies to hay fever, food allergies and severe anaphylactic reactions, which in extreme cases pose a threat to human health and life. To ensure the most optimal functioning of the patient and to minimize the risk of adverse health consequences associated with exposure to allergens, early and effective diagnosis and accurate sensitizing substances identification are extremely important.

One of the most comprehensive modern molecular tests for the allergies diagnosis is the ALEX test. This test quantifies the concentration of IgE antibodies that react to the 296 allergens contained in this test. IgE antibodies are the main type of protein produced by cells of the immune system during the allergic reaction development. Thanks to this test, it is possible to create an individual allergy profile for a patient, excluding cross-reactions. Cross-reactions are the result of molecular similarities in the structure of two different allergens - for example, a person allergic to birch pollen may also experience allergic reactions when in contact with certain fruits, for example, apples.

Thanks to this, the ALEX test allows:

• to assess the risk of specific food allergies and develop an individual diet
• to assess the probability of the patient's tolerance to this allergen - in case of children, the so-called ‘overgrowth’ of allergies
• to develop an accurate treatment plan that could reduce the allergic reactions discomfort
• to clearly identify the sources of allergies to provide effective desensitization.