[Specific immunotherapy--past--present--future]

Specific immunotherapy or hyposensitization has been used extensively for almost 90 years as a specific treatment of IgE-mediated allergic diseases. In hayfever and allergic asthma due to house-dust mites and animal danders (especially cat) immunotherapy is highly effective and used worldwide. The term "local immunotherapy" stands for topical administration of specific IT in allergic disorders and includes local nasal, bronchial, oral and sublingual immunotherapy. Today bronchial and oral IT can not yet be recommended for clinical practice. Local nasal IT may be indicated in carefully selected adult patients with rhinitis caused by grass- and Parietaria-pollen allergy. Sublingual (swallow) IT with pollen (Grass/Parietaria) and mite extracts can be recommended in adult patients with allergic rhinitis.