Predisposed Individuals

Predisposed individuals have a condition known as ATOPY (this is a derivation of the Greek word "Atopos" which means out of place). Atopy is not an illness but an inherited feature, which in turn makes individuals more likely to develop an allergic disorder. Atopy tends to run in families.

The reason why atopic people have a tendency to develop allergic disorders is because they have the ability to produce the allergy antibody called "Immunoglobulin E" or "IgE" when they come into contact with a particular substance.

However, not everyone who has inherited the tendency to be atopic will necessarily go on to develop an allergic disorder, which could include:

• Asthma
• Eczema
• Seasonal rhinitis (hay fever)
• Perennial rhinitis (all year round symptoms like hay fever)
• Urticaria (hives or nettle rash)
• Acute Urticaria - short lived / chronic urticaria lasting six weeks or more - not necessarily on a daily basis. The majority of chronic urticarias are not IgE mediated.

Nevertheless this inherited tendency or disposition could result in the development of symptoms later in life. We can conclude by stating that people who do not have allergies normally have only small amounts of "IgE".

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