Home Forums Blogs Articles Photos Videos Contact FAQ

Allergy - Basis of the allergic response

Allergy - Basis of the allergic response: Encyclopedia II - Allergy - Basis of the allergic response

Allergy - Genetic Basis. There is much evidence to support the genetic basis of allergy, as allergic parents are more likely to have allergic children, and their allergies are likely to be stronger than those from non-allergic parents. However some allergies are not consistent along genealogies with parents being allergic to peanuts, but having children allergic to ragweed, or siblings not sharing the same allergens. Ethnicity has also been shown to play a role in some allergies. Interestingly, in r ...

Allergy, Allergy - History, Allergy - Signs and symptoms, Allergy - Diagnosis, Allergy - Skin test, Allergy - Problems with skin test, Allergy - Total IgE count, Allergy - Treatment, Allergy - Immunotherapy, Allergy - Chemotherapy, Allergy - Alternative therapies, Allergy - Pathophysiology, Allergy - Acute response, Allergy - Late-phase response, Allergy - Basis of the allergic response, Allergy - Genetic Basis, Allergy - Relationship with parasites, Allergy - Basis of increasing prevalence, Allergy - The hygiene hypothesis, Allergy - Increasing use of chemicals, Allergy - Common allergens

Allergy, Allergy - Acute response, Allergy - Alternative therapies, Allergy - Basis of increasing prevalence, Allergy - Basis of the allergic response, Allergy - Chemotherapy, Allergy - Common allergens, Allergy - Diagnosis, Allergy - Genetic Basis, Allergy - History, Allergy - Immunotherapy, Allergy - Increasing use of chemicals, Allergy - Late-phase response, Allergy - Pathophysiology, Allergy - Problems with skin test, Allergy - Relationship with parasites, Allergy - Signs and symptoms, Allergy - Skin test, Allergy - The hygiene hypothesis, Allergy - Total IgE count, Allergy - Treatment, Atopy, Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)., Food allergy, Hypoallergenic, Hay fever, Soy allergy

Allergy: Encyclopedia II - Allergy - Basis of the allergic response

Allergy - Basis of the allergic response

Allergy - Genetic Basis

There is much evidence to support the genetic basis of allergy, as allergic parents are more likely to have allergic children, and their allergies are likely to be stronger than those from non-allergic parents. However some allergies are not consistent along genealogies with parents being allergic to peanuts, but having children allergic to ragweed, or siblings not sharing the same allergens. Ethnicity has also been shown to play a role in some allergies. Interestingly, in regard to asthma, it has been suggested that different genetic loci are responsible for asthma in people of Caucasian, Hispanic, and African origins.

Allergy - Relationship with parasites

Some recent research has also begun to show that some kinds of common parasites, such as intestinal worms (e.g. hookworms), secrete immunosuppressant chemicals into the gut wall and hence the bloodstream which prevent the body from attacking the parasite. This gives rise to a new slant on the hygiene hypothesis - that co-evolution of man and parasites has in the past led to an immune system that only functions correctly in the presence of the parasites. Without them, the immune system becomes unbalanced and oversensitive. Gutworms and similar parasites are present in untreated drinking water in undeveloped countries, and in developed countries until the routine chlorination and purification of drinking water supplies. This also coincides with the time period in which a significant rise in allergies has been observed. So far, there is only sporadic evidence to support this hypothesis - one scientist who suffered from seasonal allergic rhinitis (hayfever) infected himself with gutworms and was immediately 'cured' of his allergy with no other ill effects. Full clinical trials have yet to be performed however. It may be that the term 'parasite' could turn out to be inappropriate, and in fact a hitherto unsuspected symbiosis is at work.

Other related archives

1906, 1960s, 1970s, 2001, Andrew Weil, Animal hair, Asthmatics, Atopy, Canada, Clemens von Pirquet, Cold, Cromolyn sodium, Drugs, Exercise, Food allergy, Food and Drug Administration, Greek, Hay fever, Hypersensitivity, Hypoallergenic, Hyposensitization, IgE, IgG, Insect, Mould, Multiple chemical sensitivity, PVC, Plant, Soy allergy, United Kingdom, United States, Viennese, West, adrenalin, albumen, allergens, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, alternative medicine, anaphylactic shock, anaphylaxis, antagonistic, antibiotics, antigens, antihistamines, asthma, basophils, beans, bee, birch, blood transfusions, bronchoconstriction, cockroach, coma, conjunctiva, contact dermatitis, corn, cortisone, cutaneous, cytokines, dander, death, dust, dust mite, dust mites, eczema, edema, egg, endocrine systems, eosinophils, food allergy, fruits, histamine, hives, homeopathy, hookworms, hypersensitivities, hypotension, immune system, immunoassays, immunoglobulin, immunoglobulin E, immunosuppressant, immunotherapy, inflammation, inflammatory, inflammatory response, interleukins, itching, kinesiology, lancet, legumes, leukocytes, leukotrienes, local anaesthetics, lymphocytes, macrophages, maize, mast cells, medications, milk, monoclonal, mucous, nerve, neurological, neutrophils, nuts, parasites, peanuts, peas, pediatrician, penicillins, phthalates, placebo, placebos, plasma cells, pollen, pollens, prostaglandins, psychosomatic illness, ragweed, rashes, runny nose, rye grass, salicylates, seafood, serum, shellfish, smooth muscle, soy, soybeans, spores, sulfonamides, symbiosis, symptoms, theophylline, timothy grass, traditional Chinese medicine, urticaria, vaccinated, vaccinations, vaccines, vasodilation, venom, wasp, wheat

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Basis of the allergic response", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

More material related to Allergy can be found here:

Main Page
for
Allergy Index of Articles
related to
Allergy Dream Dictionary
related to
Allergy