Allergy
hideAllergy is a disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma, food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees.
Mild allergies like hay fever are highly prevalent in the human population and cause symptoms such as allergic conjunctivitis, itchiness, and runny nose. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergies to environmental or dietary allergens or to medication may result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions and potentially death.
A variety of tests now exist to diagnose allergic conditions; these include testing the skin for responses to known allergens or analyzing the blood for the presence and levels of allergen-specific IgE. Treatments for allergies include allergen avoidance, use of anti-histamines, steroids or other oral medications, immunotherapy to desensitize the response to allergen, and targeted therapy.
For more information about Allergy, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with allergic reactions
Six bad reactions to swine flu vaccine in Canada: official (Update)
Medicine & Health / Medications
Nov 24, 2009 |
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Six severe allergic reactions to swine flu vaccinations have been observed in Canada, health authorities said Tuesday, adding that all of the individuals are feeling better.
Sweet -- sugared polymer a new weapon against allergies and asthma
Nov 19, 2009 |
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Scientists at Johns Hopkins and their colleagues have developed sugar-coated polymer strands that selectively kill off cells involved in triggering aggressive allergy and asthma attacks. Their advance is a significant step ...
China investigates 2 deaths after flu vaccinations
Nov 14, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Two people in China who received swine flu vaccinations died in the past week but at least one death appears unrelated to the vaccine and the other was being investigated.
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Scientists discover cells that control inflammation in chronic disease
Nov 17, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A new type of immune cell that can be out of control in certain chronic inflammatory diseases, worsening the symptoms of conditions like psoriasis and asthma, is described for the first time ...
Roasting Does More than Enhance Flavor in Peanuts
Dec 09, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have shown that increasing roast color intensity steadily ramps up the antioxidant capacities of peanuts, peanut flour and peanut skins.
Surface bacteria maintain skin's healthy balance
Nov 22, 2009 |
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On the skin's surface, bacteria are abundant, diverse and constant, but inflammation is undesirable. Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now shows that the normal bacteria living on the ...
New chemical reaction offers opportunities for drug development
Nov 12, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at University College Dublin have solved a chemistry problem which has stumped researchers worldwide for more than a decade. The results have earned the group the cover story of the leading scientific ...
Kill the cancer, not the patient: New toxicity testing approach could make chemo drugs safer
Nov 18, 2009 |
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For cancer patients on chemotherapy, the "cure" can be as deadly as the disease itself. Adverse drug reactions are one of the leading causes of death among patients receiving cancer treatment.
New chemical reaction offers opportunities for drug development
Nov 26, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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Researchers led by Conway Fellow, Professor Pat Guiry have solved a chemistry problem that has stumped researchers worldwide for more than a decade. The results have earned the group the cover story of the leading scientific ...
Lose the fat: Targeting grease to curtail sewer overflows
Nov 23, 2009 |
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Sewer overflows are a nasty business, posing dangers to human health and the environment. North Carolina State University is launching a new project with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that targets ...
Use of rib cartilage grafts in rhinoplasty results in patient satisfaction, few complications
Nov 17, 2009 |
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Rib cartilage from human donors is well tolerated as a grafting material in nasal plastic surgery and yields positive functional, structural and cosmetic results, even in complex cases, according to a report in the November/December ...
Rich Ore Deposits Linked to Ancient Atmosphere
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 19, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Much of our planet's mineral wealth was deposited billions of years ago when Earth's chemical cycles were different from today's. Using geochemical clues from rocks nearly 3 billion years old, a group of ...
When preschoolers ask questions, they want explanations
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 13, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (4) |
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Curiosity plays a big part in preschoolers' lives. A new study that explored why young children ask so many "why" questions concludes that children are motivated by a desire for explanation.
List of search results for allergic reactions
