Copyright 2008 Medical News Today Latest Allergy News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/allergy/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120120.php A new study shows that the innate immune system of humans is capable of killing a fungus linked to airway inflammation, chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma. Researchers at Mayo Clinic and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) have revealed that eosinophils, a particular type of white blood cell, exert a strong immune response against the environmental fungus Alternaria alternata. Respiratory / Asthma Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119955.php The estimated rate of anaphylaxis in young women after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was significantly higher - 5 to 20 fold - than that identified in comparable school-based vaccination programs, according to a study published in CMAJ http://www.cmaj.ca/press/179_6_525.pdf. However, the overall rates of anaphylaxis were low with no associated serious lasting effects. Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine Tue, 02 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119987.php With close monitoring and a few standard precautions, nearly all children with known or suspected vaccine allergies can be safely immunized, according to a team of vaccine safety experts led by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Immune System / Vaccines Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119895.php There has been recent concern that suicide may be a complication of montelukast (Singulair) therapy. Montelukast is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral drug that has been prescribed for more than a decade for the treatment of asthma and seasonal allergy symptoms. An independent study sponsored by the American Lung Association has found no evidence of depression or suicide linked to montelukast. Respiratory / Asthma Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119353.php An increasing number of studies have shown a reduced risk of allergies, hay fever, asthma and eczema in farmers' children and adolescents. Until recently it was believed that these protective effects primarily arise from exposures during the first years of life. Respiratory / Asthma Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119458.php As children head back to the classroom, Health Canada is reminding parents of the importance of allergy awareness when packing lunches for their children. Severe allergic reactions can occur quickly and without warning, and some foods can be life-threatening to allergic children. As many as 1.2 million Canadians may be affected by life-threatening allergies and these numbers are increasing, especially among children. Nutrition / Diet Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119161.php A predisposition to adult snoring can be established very early in life. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Respiratory Research describes possible childhood risk factors, including exposure to animals, early respiratory or ear infections and growing up in a large family. Respiratory / Asthma Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119090.php Together with colleagues from the Department of Dermatology and Allergy and the Center for Allergy and Environment (ZAUM) of the Technische Universitat Munchen, scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen have pinpointed a major gene for allergic diseases. The gene was localized using cutting edge technologies for examining the whole human genome at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen. Schematic representation of the high affinity receptor for IgE. Allergy Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118654.php New guidelines for diagnosing and treating allergic rhinitis were released this month, just in time for the crush of fall allergy sufferers seeking relief from their allergist/immunologists. The diagnosis and management of rhinitis: An updated practice parameter is featured in the August edition of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) as is currently available for download at Allergy Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118598.php Ragweed is a prolific pollen producer and the number one cause of seasonal allergy symptoms, but people who are allergic can takes steps to avoid the airborne culprits according to the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI). "About 25 percent of my patients have ragweed allergy, and I make sure they are well prepared for peak pollen season," said ACAAI President Jay M. Portnoy, M.D. Allergy Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118510.php If you're one of the millions of Americans who suffer from allergies,* this story is for you. Scientists have determined that when it comes to allergies, it's not just things like pets or pollen that are making you miserable- it might also be your job or your relationship. A new study is proving that there is a link between how bad your allergies are, and how much stress you're under. Allergy Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118084.php Boys may be more apt than girls to have childhood asthma, but, when compared to girls, they are also more likely to grow out of it in adolescence and have a decreased incidence of asthma in the post-pubertal years. This indicates that there may be a buried mechanism in asthma development, according to a prospective study that analyzed airway responsiveness (AR) in more than 1,000 children with mild to moderate asthma over a period of about nine years. Respiratory / Asthma Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118318.php A new study here shows that even slight stress and anxiety can substantially worsen a person's allergic reaction to some routine allergens. Moreover, the added impact of stress and anxiety seem to linger, causing the second day of a stressed person's allergy attack to be much worse. Allergy Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118119.php As more than 2.2 million children with food allergies head back to school in coming weeks, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) encourages parents, in cooperation with school staff, to take measures to ensure safety. "Open and frequent communication between parents and school staff is a key ingredient to keeping food-allergic students out of harm," said Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc, whose own nut-allergic son enters kindergarten this fall. Allergy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117916.php For the 2.2 million school-age children who have food allergies and their parents, back to school means educating classmates and parents before the school year even begins. In the school setting, avoiding food allergens can be difficult because they're everywhere -- in the cafeteria, on the playground, in the classroom. Allergy Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117889.php Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS) explores the mechanisms behind the common cold virus and how it causes asthma attacks. The research, funded by the British Lung Foundation, Asthma UK, the Medical Research Council, Imperial College London and the Wellcome Trust, is good news for the five million asthma sufferers in the UK because it may lead to a way of preventing attacks in future. Respiratory / Asthma Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117882.php Health Canada is warning Canadians with milk allergies not to use several brands of unauthorized acidophilus-containing health products labelled as "non-dairy" because they contain trace amounts of milk protein from dairy ingredients used in the production process. Allergy Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117652.php As the summer approaches most of us rejoice, reach for the sunscreen and head outdoors. But an ever-growing number of people reach for tissue instead as pollen leaves eyes watering, noses running and spirits dwindling. Hay fever is just one of a host of hypersensitivity allergic diseases that cause suffering worldwide and others, such as severe reactions to bee stings or eating peanuts, can be more serious and even fatal. Allergy Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117609.php As we come close to the Beijing Olympic Games, a review article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) reminds us that the heat and humidity in the Beijing region will present a formidable challenge to all athletes. Moreover, poor quality of air can also affect all athletes, especially those with asthma. Sports Medicine / Fitness Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117503.php Children who are given antibiotics in their first three months often wheeze at 15 months of age. However, this wheezing is probably more due to the presence of chest infections than to the use of antibiotics. These were the key findings of research carried out by researchers in New Zealand, and published in this month's edition of Clinical and Experimental Allergy. Respiratory / Asthma Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117454.php If you think your ragweed allergies are getting worse, you may be right. And global warming may be the culprit, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. That's not good news for the estimated 36 million Americans who suffer from ragweed allergy, the primary cause of fall allergy symptoms. Ragweed season unofficially begins Aug. 15. Global climate change is believed to be making ragweed season worse for allergy sufferers. Allergy Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117338.php College students with food allergies aren't avoiding the foods they know they shouldn't eat. Students of all ages are not treated with potentially life-saving epinephrine as often as they should be. And instructors, roommates and friends often are not aware of what to do if a food-allergic student has a reaction. These are some of the findings of recent studies at the University of Michigan Health System. Allergy Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117164.php Statistics out today from the leading food intolerance expert, YorkTest, show that nine out of the ten of the UK's most intolerable foods are commonly found on our breakfast table - proving it really is the most important meal of the day. If you wondered why you were going to work on a headache, to school with a stomach ache or to a lecture with lethargy, a breakfast of toast, egg or cereal could be the reason why. Allergy Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/117176.php The registration application for azelastine nasal spray in the new formulation with Extra Strength has been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seeking approval to treat symptoms of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis and Perennial Allergic Rhinitis. The new formulation is patent pending. Six phase III studies evaluating efficacy and safety and a long term safety have been conducted involving about 1,600 patients treated with azelastine Extra Strength. Allergy Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/116931.php While summer is the time of year people like to spend most of their day outside, summer allergens keep many sinus sufferers from enjoying activities such as barbequing, hanging out at the pool and spending time in the park, to name a few. In fact, a new survey of more than 1,000 consumers shows that one-third of sinus sufferers say they miss or cut short social outings or business engagements because of their symptoms. Allergy