Allergen, Individual-Animal Rabbit epithelium Test

Many people are allergic to pets like rabbits, especially to their fur, saliva, urine, dander as well as dust cages. Quantitative allergen-specific IgE tests are done for a wide range of allergens. An allergic reaction is the result of someone's hyper-activated the immune system against some foreign invaders( allergens). Immunoglobulin E antibody is produced by B-lymphocyte to protect the body from any kind of foreign threat. These IgE antibodies are unique to each type of allergen, hence useful to confirm the specificity of an allergen.

No special preparation is required except telling the doctor about medical history and medications. Some healthcare providers prefer the fasting for 10-12 hours although it's not a mandatory rule.

Analyzing and testing for Immunoglobulin E antibodies can help to establish the diagnosis and prognosis of an allergy as well as to determine the cause of the allergy for some symptoms. Asthma, conjunctivitis, rhinitis, bronchospasm and other allergic signs to pets are quite widespread health issues. The quantitative report defines the presence of specific allergen (rabbit epithelium) from interpretative data (for example, 0.35-0.70 kU/L is termed as low positive and more than 3.5 kU/L is known as high to very high positive). This is also crucial for confirming sensitivity to specific allergens before the immunotherapy. Although some people with inconsiderable sensitivity to allergens may have estimable levels of IgE in serum. So results should be interpreted in the clinical context.

Allergen-specific Immunoglobulin E antibody screening is done through FEIA (Fluorescence Enzyme Immunoassay) and chemiluminescent immunoassay
as well as Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA.
• A blood sample is collected through venipuncture process where an elastic band is wrapped around the upper arm of the patient. This is done for applying pressure which results in the veins filled with blood. A syringe is inserted and the blood is collected in a red-top serum tube. Usually, a minimum of 0.05 mL is preferred for particular allergen. For more than one allergen, 0.05 mL x number of allergens + 0.25 mL dead space is recommended.
• Differentiate the serum from plasma.
• A solid phase Immunoassay has the specific allergen bound to a matrix. The blood serum is added and the antibodies attach to that specific allergen. All serotypes of antibodies will bind provided they recognize the allergen. Next, a secondary anti-IgE antibody is applied for recognizing if IgE is bound. In the report, a quantitative value is generated in terms of kU/L.
• Stability: Room temperature for 24 hours, Refrigerated for a week. If the sample is frozen more than one week, repeated freezing is avoided.