Hereditary Allergy - What Should You Know

All cats are cats, and if one of them is allergenic, the others will also be the same. The concept of hypoallergenic cat is a complete myth, and pet sellers use this ploy to sell expensive breeds by terming them hypoallergenic.

Histamines are molecules released by the white blood cells that bind to the cells at a particular region to produce allergic symptoms. Antihistamines are drugs that act in different ways to prevent the histamine molecules from starting the allergic reaction.

Pollen allergy, also commonly called hay fever, is quite possibly the commonest form of allergy around, affecting millions of people everywhere. Allergy to seafood, including squids, mollusks, and even fishes also make up a significant portion of allergens affecting people worldwide.

Among factors like environment, nutrition, etc., heredity is also a significant factor in determining the allergic response of an individual. In crude numbers, the risk of developing an allergy if neither parent has a history of it is about 12%, which increases to about 50% if one parent is allergic, and to more than 60% if both parents have previously displayed allergic symptoms.