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.

Potential therapeutic targets against serious side effects of smallpox vaccine

Smallpox is considered a potential terrorist weapon, but millions of people in the United States are currently advised not to get a vaccine to the disease because they are susceptible to developing a severe adverse reaction.

23 Mar 2006

A newly recognized type of immune cell may play an important role in causing asthma

...perhaps explaining why current therapies sometimes fail, report researchers from Children's Hospital Boston in the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Mar 2006

53 percent more minimally-invasive procedures since 2000

Rest and relaxation seem like impossible feats to most Americans trying to balance the demands of family and career. This balancing act could account for the continued growth in minimally-invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedures with 8.4 million performed in 2005.

20 Mar 2006

Study reveals mechanisms behind Thiazolidinediones used to treat type 2 diabetes

Thiazolidinediones (TZD's) are drugs commonly prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes. Current U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved agents are known as Actos (pioglitazone) and Avandia (rosiglitazone).

13 Mar 2006

Quality medical care should include a patient-centered approach

A study of Mayo Clinic patients has found seven behaviors define the 'ideal' physician and supports an Institute of Medicine recommendation that quality medical care should include a patient-centered approach.

13 Mar 2006

Study reveals most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis

A new Mayo Clinic study reveals the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis, a skin inflammation resulting in swollen, reddened and itchy skin due to direct contact with an allergen.

7 Mar 2006

Essential information - how to deal with a serious allergic reaction

Hundreds of Americans die each year from anaphylaxis which is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death.

7 Mar 2006

Passionate kissing a danger for those with allergies

The coroner in the case of the Canadian teenager who was initially thought to have died from a peanut allergy after kissing a boyfriend, says lack of oxygen to the brain was the most likely cause of her death.

7 Mar 2006

A regulatory role for the C5a anaphylatoxin in type 2 immunity in asthma

Asthma rates are rapidly increasing, particularly in children. Although asthma is mediated in part by activation of special immune cells called Th2 cells, the precise causes are unclear.

7 Mar 2006

Bird flu will soon be worldwide

Reports that bird flu has now been found in a cat in Germany has served to further fuel the panic spreading across Europe regarding the deadly virus.

1 Mar 2006

Over-the-counter decongestant as good as prescription drug in relieving hay fever symptoms

There is no significant difference between an over-the-counter decongestant and a prescription medication that costs almost four times as much in relieving hay fever symptoms, report researchers from the University of Chicago in the February issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery.

24 Feb 2006

Scientists discover genetic profile eosinophilic esophagitis

Though many parents may never have heard of it, a severe and chronic condition called eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is recognized by doctors as an emerging health problem for children.

24 Feb 2006

Ebola DNA vaccine shows promise

Vical Incorporated has announced that an Ebola vaccine candidate administered using Vical's proprietary DNA delivery technology was safe and well tolerated, and produced both antibody and T-cell Ebola-specific responses in all healthy volunteers who received the full 3 doses of vaccine.

21 Feb 2006

Fast food giant heading for court

International fast food giant McDonald's is currently facing at least three lawsuits in the United States.

20 Feb 2006

Unexpected rheumatoid arthritis discovery

What makes joints in people with rheumatoid arthritis, and related conditions like Lyme disease or lupus, so susceptible to attack by the body's immune system, leading to painful flare-ups and deterioration? The answer may surprise you.

17 Feb 2006

Older asthmatics have increased cancer risk

New research shows that older adults with asthma are at an increased risk for developing cancer, and adults with asthma are twice as likely to suffer from heart disease and other chronic health conditions.

17 Feb 2006

Male circumcision, HIV and other STDs

A statistical review of the past medical files of more than 300 couples in Uganda, in which the female partner was HIV negative and the male was HIV positive, provides solid documentation of the protective effects of male circumcision in reducing the risk of infection among women.

16 Feb 2006

High efficiency vacuum cleaners no better at protecting against dust mites

Researchers at the North West Lung Centre, run by The University of Manchester and based at Wythenshawe Hospital, have discovered that vacuum cleaners with 'high-efficiency particulate air' or HEPA filters are no more effective than standard models at reducing exposure to dust-mites.

From The University of Manchester 14 Feb 2006

Asthmatics more likely to have heart disease and cancer

According to new research adults with asthma are twice as likely to have heart disease and older asthmatics have an increased risk of cancer.

14 Feb 2006

HIV subtype is a better predictor than viral load for determining rapid death from AIDS

Traditional testing standards help monitor the progression of an HIV infection to AIDS by keeping track of viral load, using a scale in which less than 50 viral particles per cubic milliliter of blood is considered suppressed disease and a viral load of more than 75,000 particles per cubic milliliter of blood means that the disease will progress more rapidly.

7 Feb 2006