• Question: why do we get allergys

    Asked by c@tlov310 to Jessica on 22 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Jess Wade

      Jess Wade answered on 22 Jun 2015:


      My brother is even allergic to our dog! When our bodies think they are ‘under attack’, our bodies think there is something going wrong, so all the blood cells are working like little soldiers to try and get it out.

      In our blood we have special proteins called ‘antibodies’ which are the special forces of our immune system. These are the warning sign when bad germs like bacteria and viruses come in to our bodies. If you are allergic to a certain food, the antibodies inside our body mistake the food for a bad germ and go crazy. If the molecules are allergens (like a peanut) and the antibodies see the allergens, they release a different protein called ‘histamine’. When histamine comes out it causes inflammation (your body goes red and angry) to try and fight off any attack.

      Apparently 40 % of people are allergic to dogs! Cats and dogs are covered in different allergens, so when our antibodies detect these they aren’t very happy.

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