Argumentative essay: Peanut allergy

Peanut Allergy Name Institutional Affiliation Peanut Allergy Peanut allergy is among the most common food allergies spread around the world. It results in an abnormal response and fatal allergic reactions in the body to peanuts and its products. The responses range from serious breathing conditions to skin rashes. The reported cases of children in the United States with the allergy have been on the rise, tripling since 1997. Studies further show that high prevalence of cases in Canada and the United Kingdom has been reported in school children (Al-Ahmed, Alsowaidi, & Vadas, 2008). Numerous research by doctors and scientists indicate that the allergic reaction to peanut by the body is instituted by an allergic reaction to as a minimum seven protein components contained in peanuts. The essay describes the possible causes and solutions to peanut allergy. Causes There are various causes of peanut allergy. The causes initiate the occurrence of the allergy in the body of either a baby or an adult. The identification of causes requires immediate treatment in order to avoid the maturity of the allergy. Peanut allergy is a long-life complication. However, the cause of the allergy has not been expounded clearly, and some still believe that the condition is inherited and is sprout only when numerous factors come into play. The allergic individual comes into contact and develops the allergy through the following ways, namely inhalation of airborne particles, cross-contact and direct contact with the peanuts. Direct contact. Direct exposure and contact with the allergic populace with the peanut particles leads to the development of the complication. Direct contact is illustrated as the mutual touching of organisms, objects, and individuals. Direct contact can manifest itself in numerous ways. The direct contact of the peanut particles and crystals with the skin triggers an allergic reaction in allergic individuals. The allergic reaction initiated, therefore, manifests itself as peanut allergy. Contact with the lips or any other form of body contact can lead to the development of peanut allergy. The contact majorly affects allergic individuals who then develop complications as a result of the direct exposure to peanut or its particles. Besides, the exposure to peanuts can also be through ingestion. The consumption of products containing peanut or peanut products is classified under direct contact. When allergic individuals assimilate into the body peanuts or its products, they develop allergic reactions (Mayo Clinic staff, 2015). Not only is direct contact one of the most common cause of peanut allergy, but it is also one the most preventable means of exposure. The avoidance of direct contact can be diligently undertaken to curb the occurrence of peanut allergy which has been rising recently (Lack, Deborah, Northstone, & Golding, 2003). One of the leading factors that has led to the rising cases of peanut allergy is through direct contact. Preventive measures ought to be put in place to restrict the contact and handling peanut by allergic individuals thus lowering the cases of peanut allergy caused be direct contact. Cross-contact. Cross-contact is one of the causes of peanut allergy in both adults and children. However, the exposure through cross-contact has been termed by numerous researchers as insidious. Though, according to the Mayo Clinic staff (2015), cross-contact is one of the causes of peanut allergy. The exposure through cross-contact is greatly attributed to the incompetence and ineffectiveness of processing companies and institutions dealing with different types of products including peanut. Exposure through cross-contact relies on the errors, carelessness, and mistakes made by the manufacturing, packaging and handling companies while handling peanut products and non-peanut products (Mayo Clinic staff, 2015). In the numerous industries and firms handling various products, the other products might be exposed to peanut during handling, processing or packaging. Therefore, the non-peanut products would possess peanut particles. Besides, companies using the same machinery processing peanut food products can cause peanut allergy if the machinery is not cleaned thoroughly. When such kind of products is consumed without knowledge, it impends dangers. Therefore, the allergic populace would develop allergic reactions due to the particles of peanuts contained in the food products consumed. Such causes of peanut allergy are unintentional, and they are not preventable by the patient (Lack, Deborah, Northstone, & Golding, 2003). Nonetheless, exposure through cross-contact can be prevented by the firms carrying out handling, processing, and packaging of the food products. Inhalation of peanuts. Airborne inhalation of peanuts has been recorded as one of the causes of peanut allergy. Inhaling aerosols containing peanut is one of the principal causes of allergic reaction in the body. Besides, dust particles from the harvesting and handling of peanuts can result in allergic reactions. Without a prior history of ingestion of peanut, inhalation may lead to provoked allergic reaction by an allergic individual (Mayo Clinic staff, 2015). Through research, aerosols and sprays made of peanut spur the development of peanut allergy in the body. When an individual inhales substances containing traces of peanut with an allergy to peanut, an allergic response is triggered in the body. The rea...