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"Allergen"

By Victoria Groce, About.com

Updated: February 8, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Definition: An allergen is any normally harmless substance that causes a reaction in an allergic person. The immune system of a person with allergies responds to an allergen in much the same way the immune system normally responds to a germ, or antigen.

Pronunciation: AHL-er-jen

Also Known As: allergy trigger

Examples: For someone with a dairy allergy, milk is an example of an allergen.

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