Allergy News and Research

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The term allergy encompasses a wide range of conditions; it is not a disease in itself. In 1906 Clemens von Pirquet was the first to describe allergies as a changed or altered reaction of the immune system in response to exposure to foreign proteins. These days the term allergy – medically termed hypersensitivity, signifies an exaggerated reaction to foreign substances.

Cockroaches are a leading trigger of allergies and asthma attacks

May marks National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month, and the National Pest Management Association warns families that cockroaches are a leading trigger of allergies and asthma attacks. The pests' saliva, droppings and decomposing bodies contain allergen proteins known to trigger allergies and increase the severity of asthma symptoms, especially in children.

13 May 2011

Simple tips for avoiding allergies and asthma during summer

Summertime means outdoor fun at weddings, graduations, festivals and picnics. But uninvited guests ranging from stinging insects to grass pollen can ruin the fun for the millions of Americans with allergies and asthma.

13 May 2011

Children can benefit from The Asthma Management Plans in School Act

New legislation introduced by Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) would provide grants for asthma management programs in schools across the U.S. in a step to ensure the nation's 7.1 million children with asthma have access to care that could save their lives.

12 May 2011

New genome-wide study identifies causes of serious childhood immune disorder

A new genomics study, led by the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, sets the stage for the first predictive diagnostic test in a serious immunodeficiency disease in children. If the disorder, common variable immunodeficiency disease, can be diagnosed early, children may receive life-saving treatments before the disease can progress.

12 May 2011

Liquid rice hull smoke could help fight diseases

Liquid smoke flavoring made from hickory and other wood - a mainstay flavoring and anti-bacterial agent for the prepared food industry and home kitchens - may get a competitor that seems to be packed with antioxidant, antiallergenic and anti-inflammatory substances, according to a new study in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It is the first analysis of liquid smoke produced from rice hulls, the hard, inedible coverings of rice grains.

12 May 2011

Inovio first quarter total revenue increases to $3.1 million for 2011

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2011.

11 May 2011

Safety tips for athletes with asthma and allergies

As athletes of all ages take the field this summer, the most fearsome opponents for those with asthma and allergies might be triggers that can sideline even the toughest competitors.

11 May 2011

Plexxikon seeks vemurafenib marketing approval from FDA and EMA for melanoma treatment

Plexxikon Inc., a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group, today announced that applications for market approval for vemurafenib for the treatment of metastatic melanoma have been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

11 May 2011

KFA announces plans for charity Game-A-Thon and food allergy campaign

Kids With Food Allergies Foundation today announced plans for a charity Game-A-Thon and the Faces of Food Allergies Campaign in honor of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, which includes Food Allergy Awareness Week from May 8-14.

7 May 2011

Study finds 4.5 million outpatient visits yearly due to adverse drug effects

Harmful effects of medication bring an estimated 4.5 million patients to doctors' offices and emergency rooms yearly, according to a new study, and people who take multiple medications are particularly vulnerable to unpleasant or dangerous side effects, allergic reactions and toxicity.

7 May 2011

NYU, LaSalle University develop new effective asthma-related anxiety tool

When children or adolescents with asthma and their parents become overly anxious about the disorder, it may impair their ability to manage the asthma effectively. A new, effective tool to assess asthma-related anxiety is described in an article in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

6 May 2011

Neutralizing antibodies generated by immunization associated with protection against SIV infection

Using a monkey model of AIDS, scientists have identified a vaccine-generated immune-system response that correlates with protection against infection by the monkey version of HIV, called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The researchers found that neutralizing antibodies generated by immunization were associated with protection against SIV infection.

6 May 2011

Asthma ‘pill-a-day’ shows similar effectiveness as inhalers: Study

A new study has shown that a ‘once-a-day’ pill may be on par with an inhaler at combating asthma. This tablet, say researchers could revolutionize treatment for the condition, meaning patients are no longer reliant on inhalers, which many find difficult to use. Around 5.4 million Britons have asthma, including 1.1 million children.

5 May 2011

New test can diagnose deadly human fungal infections

Deadly human fungal infections caused by certain strains of Aspergillus fungi appear to be developing resistance to current drug treatments at an alarming rate, say scientists.

5 May 2011

Thomas Jefferson University receives award to develop novel radiation drugs

Shortly before Japan's devastating nuclear incident, researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals received an award to find novel drugs to treat people exposed to dangerous amounts of radiation in the wake of a nuclear terrorist attack or a nuclear accident.

5 May 2011

Immunetics receives NIH grant for new confirmatory test trial in Chagas' disease

Immunetics, Inc. today announced it has been awarded a $2.4 million, 3-year Phase II SBIR grant by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health, to support clinical trials of the company's new confirmatory test for Chagas' disease, a serious and potentially fatal parasitic infection.

4 May 2011

National survey reveals severe asthmatics need more treatment options

Today on World Asthma Day 2011, despite decades of progress on the management and control of asthma – more research, better understanding and powerful treatments – millions of people with severe asthma are still living with serious, frequent, life-threatening symptoms.

3 May 2011

Asthma research on its way to help sufferers

The University of Newcastle is now conducting a nationwide research program to help people with asthma better control their condition. This study will be testing the effectiveness of combining antibiotics with commonly used treatments in asthmatics. This news comes today on the World Asthma Day. Statistics show that commonly prescribed treatments and medications do not relieve the symptoms for about 10 per cent of asthma patients. It's thought about 80% of people with the condition suffer numerous symptoms, yet 80% say they believe they have it under control.

3 May 2011

Winner Medical's PurCotton products introduced at MICF 2011

Winner Medical Group Inc. a leading manufacturer of medical dressings, medical disposables and non-woven fabric made from 100% natural PurCotton products in China, today reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Shenzhen PurCotton Technology Ltd., participated in the 13th China International Mother-Infant-Child Products Fair held in the China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, on April 14-16, 2011.

3 May 2011