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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Kelly-Ann Mills

New vaccine may stop humans from having allergic reactions to cats

A vaccine has been developed to help people who have allergic reactions to cats.

Scientists have made the HypoCat jab to stop people from having itchy eyes, runny noses and wheezing.

And it is not even the allergic human who will take the pain of the injection, but their moggy friend who will be pricked.

Cat allergies are caused by Fel-d1 - a protein present in the animal's fur.

The protein is found on the skin, which sheds like a humans, and can be found throughout the home.

The cat would need the HypoCat injection to stop its owner's symptoms (Getty Images)

As the protein gets into a person's airways, the body triggers a rush of histamine as it does for any allergic person, as the body thinks it is under attack.

According to Allergy UK a cat allergy affects half of all asthmatic children and many rely on anti-histamines to keep their symptoms at bay.

It is estimated that six million Brits have a cat allergy.

Animal charity Cats Protection also says its gets "hundreds of calls a year' from owners who have to give up their pets due to allergies.

HypoCat works triggering the cat’s own immune system to attack the Fel-d1 protein and destroy it.

It could be available within the next three years.

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