Sublingual Immunotherapy for Japanese Cedar Pollinosis

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of pollinosis caused by cedar pollen has increased by 10% these ten years of 26.5% in the investigation of 2008 in Japan. The pharmacotherapy is a main treatment tool for pollinosis, and the surgical treatment is not acknowledged to the treatment of pollinosis internationally. Moreover, allergen immunotherapy enters a special treatment method, and is an important therapeutic procedure. The allergen immunotherapy is unique for having possibility of curing allergen specific allergic diseases. However the side effect of allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), such as anaphylaxis is kept at a distance in a medical situation in Japan. Then, a sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) that was safer than it, developed in Europe for pollinosis induced by grass or ragweed, but not in Japan. As a result, the effect of SLIT was proven in the cedar pollinosis in Japan as high level evidence. A whole body immunity induction is thought in the appearance of the effect, and, in addition, it is necessary to be going to be cleared the accurate mechanism of the effect in the future. Moreover, the development of a special SLIT and the import of an overseas product are needed in Japan.