The evolution of allergen and non-specific immunotherapy: past achievements, current applications and future outlook

Recent epidemiological studies estimated that more than 30% of European suffer from allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis, while up to 20% suffer from asthma and 15% from allergic skin conditions, while for many other regions the prevalence is increasing. Allergen immunotherapy represents the only available treatment that can modify the allergic disease process, and thus is worth considering as a treatment in affected individuals. A beneficial effect of allergen immunotherapy has been shown in both adults and children affected by allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic asthma and hymenoptera venom allergy. The present study represents an overview on allergen immunotherapy, focusing on the principal aspects of the use of immunotherapy in the past, its recent clinical applications and future outlook.