## Allergy vaccine A fundamentally new way of dealing with [allergies](https://ul.orna.me/KOge/librarydisease?id=21) — ASIT (allergen-specific immunotherapy) — works on the principle of vaccination. A small amount of a specifically-treated allergen is injected into the human body, and then the dose gradually increases during the course of therapy. Thanks to this ===an immune response is formed over time without an allergic reaction, and allergy symptoms generally disappear. The schedule and duration of treatment are selected individually for each patient. ## Important details Therapy can be done either on an outpatient basis or in a hospital. In the first case, the course lasts up ===to 6 months and is repeated regularly for several years. If the patient decides to speed up the process, he or she can go to a hospital for 3–4 weeks, then the treatment continues for 2–3 months outside the hospital. In any case, before the therapy, it will be necessary to undergo diagnostics and pass a series of tests to assess the state of health. Also, you will need to stop taking antihistamines a week before the procedure, and avoid contact with the source of the allergen for the duration of the therapy. The treatment takes place under the strict supervision of a physician and consists of two stages: - Initiating stage begins with the introduction of the minimum dose of the allergen with a gradual increase to the maximum amount tolerable. It usually lasts 4 months. - Supporting stage — the patient is injected with the optimal dose of the purified allergen to consolidate the effect obtained after the first phase. The second stage lasts from 6 months to several years. The methods of administration of the allergen can be different: orally, with the help of subcutaneous injections, intranasally (instillation into the nose), or sublingually (absorption under the tongue). ## Patients who may not be eligible ASIT is used if the patient suffers from allergies to pollen, house dust, animal hair, dust mites, insect bites, atopic bronchial asthma, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and/or rhinoconjunctivitis. However, ASIT is not suitable for the treatment of photodermatitis, atopic dermatitis, drug dermatitis, allergy from three allergens, allergies to cold, animal saliva, mold, and fungal spores. Those with severe [asthma](https://ul.orna.me/KOge/librarydisease?id=177), endocrine diseases, tuberculosis, oncology, diseases of internal organs, mental illness, allergies, or who have had therapy with beta-blockers in the acute stage should not seek ASIT treatment. Additionally, those who are pregnant and those under age 5 or over age 60 should not seek this treatment.