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Chronic exposure to metals in jewelry, dental implants and restorations, cosmetics, joint prostheses or even coins can lead to health problems in sensitive individuals as they may be causing an allergic reaction. MELISA® is a simple blood test which can separate those individuals which may suffer side-effects from metal exposure and those that will not. The test will also tell the patient which metals the body tolerates and which it doesn’t.
Typical symptoms of metal allergy are chronic fatigue and inflammation in various body parts. A sign of nickel allergy is when the skin gets red or itches upon contact with nickel-containing items such as watches, jeans buttons and cheap jewelry. Another sign is flu-like symptoms one or two days after a visit to the dentist whose done work with dental metal fillings.
It is important to differentiate between metal allergy and metal toxicity. MELISA® does not measure the levels of metals in the body; it measures whether the patient is allergic to metals. For example, hair samples may show levels of mercury or other substances which are below the official “safe limit” – but the patient can still be allergic. For allergic individuals, there is no such thing as a “safe limit”. Even trace amounts of a substance pose danger if the substance triggers an allergic reaction.
MELISA® test procedure:
White blood cells (lymphocytes) from whole blood are isolated and tested against allergens chosen accordingly to the patient’s anamnesis, dental and occupational history. The blood is incubated for five days and the lymphocyte reaction is measured by two separate technologies: one based on the uptake of radioisotope by dividing lymphocytes; the other by evaluation by microscopy. The level of reactivity is measured as a Stimulation Index (SI). A value over 3 indicates a positive reaction to a given allergen. The results are presented with a graph. |
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