Peanut allergies be gone?

Of 28 children given an oral immunotherapy, 23 were able to "include peanut in their diet" by the end of an 18-month study.

In a placebo trial, just one of 28 children was able to do the same.

"It appears that we have been able to modify the allergic response to peanut such that the immune system produces protective responses rather than a harmful response to the peanut protein," says a statement from the team's lead researcher, Professor Mimi Tang of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

The Melbourne researchers' therapy involved a probiotic - a beneficial bacteria such as yeast - combined with a daily dose of peanut protein.

In the beginning, the peanut doses were small. They were increased every two weeks until a target dosage of 2 grams (.07 ounces) of peanut protein was reached.

At the end of the 18-month study, peanut tolerance was assessed by what the researchers called a "peanut challenge." The test was conducted between two and five weeks after the treatment.

The researchers will now track the children's progress to see whether peanut allergies return.

Do not try this at home

Though the results could potentially lead to an effective treatment for peanut allergies, lead researcher Tang is quick to warn people - especially parents - against attempting replicate the trial at home.

Some children taking part in the study continued to have adverse reactions to peanut, despite the treatment.

"It is important to point out that this treatment must only be given under close medical supervision," says Tang. "We are giving peanut to children who are allergic to peanut, and children did have allergic reactions."

According to the "German Foundation for the Treatment of Peanut Allergies" (BEA - Stiftung zur Behandlung von Erdnussallergien), "about 0.5-1 percent of children in Germany suffer from peanut allergies."

Similar percentages have been reported in the UK and US - although, it is difficult to get reliable statistics, and not every case is recorded.

But peanut allergies are often cited as being among the most common causes of fatality due to food-induced anaphylaxis. The symptoms include itchy rashes, throat swelling and falling blood pressure.