In 2017, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases adopted guidelines recommending the introduction of peanut butter to babies between four to six months old to reduce food allergies. At the time, Canada recommended delaying peanut butter introduction until age three. The impact of these new guidelines on allergies in Canada had not been assessed until a recent study titled Trends of peanut-induced anaphylaxis rates before and after the 2017 early peanut introduction guidelines in Montreal, Canada, published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

Researchers analyzed data from the Montreal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (ED) between 2011 and 2019, focusing on peanut-induced anaphylaxis cases. Of 2011 total anaphylaxis cases, 429 were triggered by peanuts, with 180 being first-time reactions. The study revealed a significant decrease in peanut-related anaphylaxis rates after 2017 among children aged two and under, who could benefit from the early peanut introduction guidelines. The rate of first-time anaphylaxis in this group decreased by 7.96 cases per 100,000 ED visits every four months. No significant changes were observed in children aged three to 17 or in those who already had a known peanut allergy.

The increase in food allergies, including peanut allergies, over the past decade makes the findings of this study worthy of further investigation and validation.

Dr. McCusker, a Research Director at the Meakins-Christie Laboratories and Head of Immunology at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, is a collaborator on the study and co-author of the publication.

Read the Article:

Yu J, Lanoue D, Mir A, Kaouache M, Bretholz A, Clarke A, McCusker C, Protudjer JLP, Jones A, Ben-Shoshan M. Trends of Peanut-Induced Anaphylaxis Rates Before and After the 2017 Early Peanut Introduction Guidelines in Montreal, Canada. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2024 Jun 12:S2213-2198(24)00626-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.06.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38876271.

Read more:

Introducing peanuts earlier to reduce allergy risk, RI-MUHC News, August 14, 2024.

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This award is given to a researcher from the Montreal Children’s Hospital community whose initiatives have made a unique and significant contribution to pediatric care.

Dr. McCusker is passionate about her work, which surely explains her success. Over the past few years, she and her team have cured children of allergies to tree nuts, milk and eggs thanks to a desensitization program she helped put in place. She has led her team to positive clinical research outcomes, advancing treatments and helping empower children with allergies.

“I love my job! I also get to play with kids and help reduce parents’ anxiety.”

Dr. Christine McCusker

Learn more about Dr. McCusker and the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation Pfizer Research Award of Excellence:

Read about the 2020 Awards of Excellence here.

Watch Dr. McCusker receiving her award:

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Dr. Elizabeth Fixman developed STAT6-IP, a chimeric inhibitory peptide with the ability to enter cells and disrupt activity of the STAT6 transcription factor. STAT6 has been show to inhibit aberrant Th2 responses in the airways of preclinical models of respiratory syncytial virus infection (Eur J Immunol 2014) and asthma (J Immunol 2007; Clin Exp Allergy 2011; Mucosal Immunol 2015). 

The latter publication by Dr. Christine McCusker received significant media attention.

This work was also selected for one of the top ten scientific breakthroughs of 2015 selected by Québec Science and Dr. Christine McCusker was nominated as the Feb 2016 Researcher of the Month by Canadians for Health Research.

View articles and interviews about this research:

• Snowy winter, sudden heat create very bad allergy season. CTV News Montreal. May 20, 2015.
• Misery is in the air for Montreal’s allergy sufferers. Montreal Gazette. by Marian Scott. May 15, 2015.
• Educating the immune system to prevent allergies. MUHC research team designs a potential vaccine against allergic airways disease. CIHR Health Research in Action. August 25, 2015
• Educating the immune system to prevent allergies. McGill News. May 14, 2015.
• Quebec Science honours RI-MUHC discovery. MUHC News. January 4, 2016.
• Une stratégie antiallergique. Québec Science. November 30, 2015.
• New Canadian research could lead to the end of allergies. Radio Canada International. By Marc Montgomery. May 19, 2015.
• Dure saison des allergies en vue. La Presse. By Ariane Lacoursière. May 15, 2015.
• L’immunothérapie, ou la désensibilisation pour éliminer les allergies. Le Devoir. By Pauline Gravel. June 13, 2015.
• New seasonal allergy treatments offer some hope. It’s been a bad spring for pollen, and don’t start us talking on ragweed! CBC News. Althea Manasan. May 25, 2015.

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