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Bringing Cats and Their Allergic Owners Closer: a Feline-Friendly Breakthrough in Cat Allergen Reduction

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Bringing Cats and Their Allergic Owners Closer: a Feline-Friendly Breakthrough in Cat Allergen Reduction BRINGING CATS AND THEIR ALLERGIC OWNERS CLOSER: A FELINE-FRIENDLY BREAKTHROUGH IN CAT ALLERGEN REDUCTION A common problem with consequences for Allergies to cats are people and cats the most common animal-origin allergies Allergies can impair the quality of life for allergy sufferers by interfering with 1 daily activities and performance.3,4 They also limit the interactions between in humans, and affect the allergic person and their cat, and allergy to cats is a commonly provided approximately reason for relinquishment to shelters5-9 as well as a barrier to cat adoption 1 in 5 adults worldwide.2 and ownership.9-10 Fel d1, the major cat allergen Fel d1 is the major cat allergen.4,11-13 All cats produce Fel d1 regardless of breed or physical characteristics; there are no truly allergen-free or hypoallergenic cats.11,14-19 It is produced primarily in the salivary and sebaceous glands, spread throughout the cat’s hair coat during grooming and shed into the environment with hair and dander.11,15 Fel d1’s function for the cat is as yet unknown, but a pheromone/chemical signaling role has been proposed.11,12,20 Reducing allergen exposure is key to allergy management Avoiding exposure to the allergen is the foundation for allergists’ recommendations to remove the cat from the home.4,17,18 Stringent environmental controls (such as excluding the cat from the bedroom; removing carpeting; and regular, thorough cleaning) can successfully reduce Fel d1 levels, possibly allowing the cat to remain in the home,4,18,21 but these measures are effort-intensive and may be difficult to maintain long-term. A transformational approach to managing allergies to cats For the first time in history, Purina scientists have demonstrated a proactive way to significantly reduce the active levels of Fel d1 by taking advantage of the antibody- allergen interaction to neutralize Fel d1 in the cat’s saliva, before it is spread into the environment. Anti-Fel d1 IgY antibodies bind and neutralize Fel d1, preventing it from binding to IgE in a Fel d1-sensitized individual. Purina’s research showed that when cats were fed a diet with an egg product ingredient containing anti-Fel d1 IgY, 97% showed decreased levels of active Fel d1 on their hair and dander. (“Active” Fel d1 is Fel d1 that is capable of binding to IgE and triggering an allergic response in sensitized individuals).22 On average, there Neutralized Fel d1 was a 47% reduction of active Fel d1 on cats’ hair after 3 weeks of being fed the diet.23 Additionally, 86% of cats had a reduction of at least 30% from baseline levels.23 This ultimately reduces active Fel d1 levels in the environment. Cat-allergic people Purina’s breakthrough exposed to dander from cats fed a diet with anti-Fel d1 IgY showed significant reductions in nasal allergy symptoms and some ocular symptoms.24 maintains normal allergen The ingredient is safe for cats, based on a comprehensive safety study that fed an production by the cat egg product ingredient with multiple levels of anti-Fel d1 IgY, including levels many without affecting the cat’s times higher than those used in our studies.25 overall physiology. Change the conversation. Keep the cat. Cat owners with allergies to cats face a difficult conversation with an allergist or veterinarian who might recommend rehoming the cat. Because of Purina’s transformational approach to managing these allergies, now they can have a different conversation — one that helps keep cats in loving homes. For more information on this breakthrough, visit www.purinainstitute.com. References 1. Morris, D.O. (2010). Human allergy to environmental pet Association website: https://www.americanhumane.org/app/ 18. Dávila, I., Dominguez-Ortega, J., Navarro-Pulido, A., Alonso, danders: A public health perspective. Veterinary Dermatology, uploads/2016/08/aha-petsmart-retention-study-phase-1.pdf A., Antolin-Amerigo, D., Gonzalez-Mancebo, E., Martin- 21, 441-449. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2010.00882.x Garcia, C., Nunez-Acevedo, B., Prior, N., …Torrecillas, M. 10. Svanes, C., Zock, J.-P., Anto, J., Dharmage, S., Norback, D., (2018). Consensus document on dog and cat allergy. Allergy, 2. Bousquet, P.-J., Chinn, S., Janson, C., Kogevinas, M., Burney, Wjst, M., & the Early Life Working Group of the European 73(6), 1206-1222. doi: 10.1111/all.13391 P., & Jarvis, D. (2007). Geographical variation in the prevalence Community Respiratory Health Survey. (2006). Do asthma of positive skin tests to environmental aeroallergens in the and allergy influence subsequent pet keeping? An analysis 19. Nicholas, C., Wegienka, G., Havstad, S., Ownby, D., & European Community Respiratory Health Survey I. Allergy, 62, of childhood and adulthood. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Johnson, C.C. (2008). Influence of cat characteristics on Fel d1 301-309. Immunology, 118(3), 691-698. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2006.06.017 levels in the home. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 101, 47-50. 3. Leynaert, B., Nuekirch, C., Liard, R., Bousquet, J., & Neukirch, 11. Bonnet, B., Messaoudi, K., Jacomet, F., Michaud, E., Fauquert, F. (2000). Quality of life in allergic rhinitis and asthma: A J.L., Caillaud, D., & Evrard, B. (2018). An update on molecular 20. Durairaj, R., Pageat, P., & Bienboire-Frosini, C. (2018). population-based study of young adults. American Journal of cat allergens: Fel d1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d1, the Another cat and mouse game: deciphering the evolution Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 162, 1391-1396. major cat allergen. Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology, of the SCGB superfamily and exploring the molecular 14, 14. doi: 10.1186/s13223-018-0239-8 singularity of major cat allergen Fel d1 and mouse ABP using 4. Cosme-Blanco, W., Arce-Ayala, Y., Malinow, I., & Nazario, computational approaches. PLoS ONE, 13(5), e0197618; doi: S. (2018). Primary and Secondary Environmental Control 12. Zahradnik, E., & Raulf, M. (2017). Respiratory allergens from 10.1371/journal.pone.0197618 Measures for Allergic Diseases. In Mahmoudi, M. (Ed.), furred mammals: environmental and occupational exposure. Allergy and Asthma (pp. 1-36). Switzerland: Springer Nature. Veterinary Sciences 4, 38. doi: 10.3390/vetsci4030038 21. Björnsdottir, U.S., Jakobinudottir, S., Runarsdottir, V. & doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_36-1 Juliusson, S. (2003). The effect of reducing levels of cat 13. Tsolakis, N., Malinovschi, A., Nordvall, L., Mattsson, L., allergen (Fel d1) on clinical symptoms in patients with cat 5. Weiss, E., Gramann, S., Drain, N., Dolan, E., & Slater, M. Lidholm, J., Pedroletti, C., ...Alving, K. (2017). Sensitization allergy. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 91, 189-194. (2015). Modification of the Feline-AlityTM Assessment and the to minor cat allergen components is associated with type-2 ability to predict adopted cats’ behaviors in their new homes. biomarkers in young asthmatics. Clinical and Experimental 22. Satyaraj, E., Li, Q., Sun, P., & Sherrill, S. (2019). Anti-Fel d1 Animals, 5, 71-88. doi: 10.3390/ani5010071 Allergy, 48(9), 1186-1194. doi: 10.1111/cea.13135 immunoglobulin Y antibody-containing egg ingredient lowers allergen levels in cat saliva. Accepted for publication, Journal 6. Zito, S., Morton, J., Vankan, D., Paterson, M., Bennett, P.C., 14. Bastien, B., Gardner, C., & Satyaraj, E. (2019). Influence of of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Rand, J., & Phillips, C.J.C. (2016). Reasons people surrender phenotype on salivary Fel d1 in domestic shorthair cats. unowned and owned cats to Australian animal shelters and Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, online publication 23. Satyaraj, E., Gardner, C., Filipi, I., Cramer, K., & Sherrill, S. barriers to assuming ownership of unowned cats. ahead of print May 28, 2019. doi: 10.1177/1098612X19850973 (2019). Reduction of active Fel d1 from cats using an antiFel Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 19, 303-319. d1 egg IgY antibody. Immunity, Inflammation & Disease. doi: 10.1080/10888705.206.1141682 15. Kelly, S.M., Karsh, J., Marcelo, J., Boeckh, D., Stepner, N., Litt, Advanced online publication. doi:10.1002/iid3.244 D., ...Yang, W.H. (2018). Fel d1 and Fel d4 levels in cat fur, 7. Coe, J.B., Young, I., Lambert, K., Dysart, L., Borden, saliva and urine. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 24. Wedner, J., Satyaraj, E., Gardner, C., Al-Hammadi, N., Sherrill, L.N., & Rajic, A. (2014). A scoping review of published 142, 1990-1992.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.07.033 S., & Mantia, T. (2019, June) Pilot study to determine effect of research on the relinquishment of companion animals. feeding cat food made with egg product containing anti-Fel d1 Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 17, 253-273. doi: 16. Butt, A., Rashid, D., & Lockey, R.F. (2012). Do hypoallergenic antibodies to cats on human allergy symptoms. Presented at 10.1080/10888705.2014.899910 dogs and cats exist? Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the annual meeting of the European Academy of Allergy and 108, 74-76. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2011.12.005 Clinical Immunology, Lisbon, Portugal. 8. Eriksson, P., Loberg, J., & Andersson, M. (2009). A survey of cat shelters in Sweden. Animal Welfare, 18, 283-288. 17. Salo, P.M., Cohn, R.D., & Zeldin, D.C. (2018). Bedroom allergen 25. Matulka, R.A., Thompson, L., & Corley, D. (2019). exposure beyond house dust mites. Current Allergy and Evaluation of a multi-level safety study of anti-Fel d1 IgY. 9. American Humane Association. (2012). Keeping pets (dogs and Asthma Reports, 18, 52. doi: 10.1007/s11882-018-0805-7 Submitted, Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology. cats) in homes: A three-phase retention study. Phase I: Reasons for not owning a dog or cat. Retrieved from American Humane .
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