Allergy News

Spanish researchers found using ozone to keep grapes fresh for wine was 90% as effective as sulphur dioxide, which is currently used by producers.

Sulphur dioxide is often linked to allergies such as asthma and migraines, the journal Chemical and Industry said.

But experts said there were other properties in wine that could trigger allergic reactions.

Background:

Objective: We analyzed the association between maternal diet during the last 4 wk of pregnancy and allergic sensitization and eczema in the offspring at 2 y of age.

Children exposure to traffic pollution during their rapid pulmonary development, from ages 10 to 18, had eight-year lung growth that was significantly stunted, W. James Gauderman, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California here, and colleagues, reported online in The Lancet.

The lung growth was slowed in children who lived within 500 meters (about a third of a mile) of a freeway compared with children who lived 1,500 meters (about one mile) or more away, the investigators found.

In a surprise finding, scientists have discovered that histamine, the inflammatory compound released during allergic reactions that causes runny nose, watery eyes, and wheezing, can be produced in large amounts in the lung by neutrophils, the white blood cells that are the major component of pus.

Pus, a fluid found in infected tissue, is produced as a result of inflammation.
The study in mice is the first to show that lung neutrophils can produce histamine in significant quantities, according to principal investigator George Caughey, MD, chief of pulmonary/critical care medicine at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mothers who have previously used oral contraceptive pills seem more likely to have children with nasal allergies, Finnish researchers report.

Dr. Leea Keski-Nisula, of Kuopio University, Finland, and colleagues note in the medical journal Allergy that there has been a suggestion of an association between oral contraceptive use and allergic diseases.

To investigate, the researchers studied 618 asthmatic children aged 5 or 6 years and compared them with 564 similar but unaffected children.

Asthmatx Inc., a medical device company that focuses on a catheter-based procedure for the treatment for asthma, said Wednesday its investigational treatment was named one of the Top Ten Medical Innovations for 2007 by the Cleveland Clinic.

Mountain View-based Asthmatx said the list recognizes breakthrough medical technologies that have the potential to have an impact on health care in 2007.

Asthmatx said its bronchial thermoplasty, a minimally-invasive procedure, is a non-drug treatment for asthma that is currently under clinical investigation at more than 30 research centers around the world.

Q. I have a daughter who just started kindergarten and one in preschool. My older daughter has bad allergies, and it seems like all the kids in both girls' schools have runny noses. I'd like some guidelines about allergies and how to recognize a sinus infection versus a cold. a mother and teacher in Charlotte

The cold-allergies question is complex, says a pediatrician and father in Concord. "This is something we struggle with as pediatricians every day," says Dr. Greg Guerriero.

Teachers reluctantly deal with the issue as well, wondering whether their snotty-nosed charges should be at home.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Under-the-tongue or "sublingual" immunotherapy -- what doctors call SLIT -- is cost-effective for treating adults with pollen-induced respiratory allergy, according to a report.

SLIT is not officially in use in the United States, although some allergists use it "with satisfactory results," Dr. Giovanni Passalacqua from University of Genoa, Italy told Reuters Health. "The problem is formal, due to the fact that SLIT has not the approval of the FDA. Clinical studies endorsed by the FDA are currently ongoing to get the approval."

"In Europe the situation is completely different, and SLIT is widely used in many countries (e.g., Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Hungary)," Passalacqua said.

Abstract

The pool chlorine hypothesis postulates that the rise in childhood asthma in the developed world could result at least partly from the increasing exposure of children to toxic gases and aerosols contaminating the air of indoor chlorinated pools. To further assess this hypothesis, we explored the relationships between childhood asthma, atopy, and cumulated pool attendance (CPA). We studied 341 schoolchildren 10-13 years of age who attended at a variable rate the same public pool in Brussels (trichloramine in air, 0.3-0.5 mg/m3). Examination of the children included a questionnaire, an exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) test, and the measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and total and aeroallergen-specific serum IgE. CPA by children (range, 0-1,818 hr) emerged among the most consistent predictors of asthma (doctor diagnosed or screened with the EIB test) and of elevated eNO, ranking immediately after atopy and family history of asthma or hay fever. Although the risk of elevated eNO increased with CPA [odds ratio (OR) = 1.30 ; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-1.43] independently of total or specific serum IgE, the probability of developing asthma increased with CPA only in children with serum IgE > 100 kIU/L (OR for each 100-hr increase in CPA = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.07-2.72). All these effects were dose related and most strongly linked to pool attendance before 6-7 years of age. Use of indoor chlorinated pools especially by young children interacts with atopic status to promote the development of childhood asthma. These findings further support the hypothesis implicating pool chlorine in the rise of childhood asthma in industrialized countries.

Seasons greetings. And gesundheit.

Christmas greenery, holiday flowers and yuletide fires can inflame allergies, causing itchy eyes, runny noses and skin rashes, experts warn. No wonder Rudolph's nose was red.

Most holiday allergies are minor, but for anyone with asthma and other lung conditions, they can cause serious breathing problems, says allergist James Seltzer, chair of the Indoor Allergy Committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

A recent report by the EU-backed Network of Excellence GA2LEN, Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, highlights new suspected linkages between diet and allergies, particularly in children. Experts suggest that there has been a fundamental shift in European diets over the past twenty to forty years exposing children and adults alike to greater risks of allergies. Such findings by the nutrition network are indicators of the fresh research the network can contribute to this complex field.

According to experts, fully one third of children and approximately half of the European population will be allergic to one thing or another by 2015. It is widely accepted that an unfortunate combination of hereditary and environmental factors contribute to the development of allergies and asthma. However, a sharp increase in the number of cases has lead researchers to believe that something more than genetics is at play. 

Under the terms of the pact Alliant will promote Allegra Oral Suspension to pediatric and pediatric sub-specialty physicians.

"Our core mission is to provide pediatricians with alternatives that meet the unique needs of their patients," said Alliant President Mark Pugh.

But that number is rising rapidly. According to one study, reports FAAN, peanut allergies among young children doubled between 1997 and 2002.

Such allergies often carry the risk of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that can cause someone to stop breathing.

Allergist Jerry Shier says that he knows of no proven cause for the rise in food allergies in recent years, but says the best explanation for the increase is the "hygiene hypothesis."

GA²LEN welcomes the vote of the European Parliament on the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) on 30 November that acknowledges allergic diseases as major chronic diseases to be addressed in European research during the coming 7 years (2007 - 2013).

The European Parliament adopted the report of Prof. Jerzy Buzek that recognises “respiratory diseases including those induced by allergies” as health priorities to be addressed by translational research. This will allow respiratory allergic diseases (including asthma) to be covered by the research programme under the health theme.

In the first drafts, only food allergies (8% of all allergies) were covered. Allergic diseases will now be tackled under both the health and food themes of the research programme which should allow scientists to progress towards the overall understanding that is needed to help control this epidemic through effective prevention and treatment.

Allergy sufferers cringe during one of the most celebrated traditions of the winter holiday season - trimming the Christmas tree.

Allergists say itchy noses, scratchy eyes and sneezing during the holidays can have more to do with what is on a holiday tree than the tree itself.

While festive fir trees have thick, waxy pollen, studies have never shown them to cause significant allergic reactions. The real culprits behind holiday sniffles are Christmas tree dust and mold, and the chemicals sometimes sprayed on fresh trees to control pests or reduce needle shedding, says Dan Atkins, a pediatric allergist at National Jewish Medical and Research Center.

Report suggests changes in European diets over the past 20-40 years may have contributed to the increased incidence of allergic diseases in both children and adults seen over this period.

The publication from the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA²LEN) provides new insights into the role that diet may play in the development of allergies, especially in children.

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically over the past few decades, especially in children. One child in three is allergic today and one in two people in Europe are likely to be suffering from at least one allergy by 2015.

TORONTO -- Elementary school students with serious medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or severe allergies will have access to a free alert bracelet under a national program being launched on Monday.

Called "No Child Without," the new program run by the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation waives the fees normally associated with subscribing to the service and buying the special bracelet or necklet.

"Parents worry a great deal about how their child will communicate their medical condition in a crisis," Martin Kabat, president of the charitable foundation, said in a statement.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 16 -- With the first generic version of a nasal corticosteroid approved this year, more can be expected, according to a presentation here.

The FDA approved a generic version of Flonase (fluticasone propionate) last February 2006, said Faud M. Baroody, M.D., of the Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago at a symposium presented in conjunction with the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology meeting here.

The generic drug is manufactured by Roxane Laboratories in Columbus, Ohio. A check by Dr. Baroody at his local pharmacy found that a one-month supply of brand-name Flonase cost $96.99, compared with $77.99 for the generic version.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov.15 -- Allergic reactions are among the most common side effects of complementary and alternative therapies, researchers reported here, but that doesn't stop patients with allergies from using them.

More than two-thirds of adult patients may use some form of complementary and alternative medicine, said Leonard Bielory, M.D., director of the Asthma & Allergy Research Center at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Physicians need to find a way to respect those practices and, indeed, incorporate them into their practices Dr. Bielory said at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology meeting here.

Two Swedish firms have joined together to make an investigational protein-based allergy drug for Phase III trials.

Contract manufacturer Biovitrum has been asked to undertake process development and clinical trial manufacturing of the biologic drug (RES 08) by its developers, Resistentia.

According to Marcus Bosson, CEO of Resistentia, Biovitrum was chosen due to its “vast experience with process development for Phase III biological clinical materials.”

PHILADELPHIA -- Home is where the heart is, and increasingly, where allergens lie in wait.

For people with allergies and asthma, home sweet home could be masking a festering stew of molds, dust mites, noxious gases, building debris, and other unhealthy substances, suggested speakers at a symposium held at the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology meeting here.

Variables that can affect the severity of allergic rhinitis and asthma among the occupants of a given house included the age and condition of the house, type and condition of heating and cooling systems, humidity, air flow, indoor tobacco use, pets, and hygiene habits of the occupants, said James L. Sublett, M.D., of the University of Louisville School of Medicine.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 13 -- Rush immunotherapy can cram into a few days some six to 12 months worth of allergy shots, safely and with a low risk of serious systemic reactions or anaphylaxis, said researchers here.

In separate studies presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology meeting, investigators reported on the use of rapid allergen vaccination, also called rush immunotherapy, for safe, rapid desensitization of patients with allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis.

NEW YORK, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Breathing difficulties some women have after sexual intercourse could be an allergic reaction, doctors in the United States said.

In extreme cases, doctors said, some women experience difficulty breathing and hives after intercourse, ABCNew.com said. If women have an allergy, symptoms usually are milder -- a reddening and swelling of the vaginal area that disappear within a few hours.

Proteins in the semen are the culprits, ABCNews.com said, and using a condom is the simplest treatment. Also an antihistamine, a vagina-specific allergy medication or injections will help, especially if it is a mild reaction. But sufferers must visit their gynecologists to ensure no other infection is present.

In most cases, the best way to cope with a typical allergy is to simply steer clear of whatever it is you are allergic to. While this is sometimes inconvenient, it is certainly doable — that is, if you're allergic to penicillin, shellfish, peanuts, or cats.

But what if you are allergic to sex?

Believe it or not, there are women who literally break out whenever they have intercourse. And as most of them will tell you, abstinence is clearly not an acceptable option.

Unlike sufferers of other types of allergies, women who are allergic to sex don't get an "all over" rash. Typically, only the inner and outer vaginal areas get red and really swollen. Unlike when an infection is the culprit, there is no pain, discharge, itching or odor. And unlike most infections, the reaction occurs within minutes of intercourse rather than days later.

Poland’s Health Minister Zbigniew Religa put himself at the disposal of the Prime Minister after a scandal with wrongly labelled allergy injections.

Instead of hydrocortisone, sold under the name of “corhydron” and generally available from prescription pharmacists, ampoules manufactured in Jelenia Góra were released containing a drug used in surgery to relax muscles. Wrongly used, the drug can be lethal. The labelling mistake was first discovered a month ago, when two women collapsed after being treated with the medicine, although other reports say that the first incident with the drug was recorded as early as in June.

A Polish daily wrote about the scandal, as the manufacturer and the Health Ministry failed to inform of the danger.

"It doesn't hurt," Molly said of the weekly allergy shots she has been receiving for about a year. "I kind of look forward to it because my mom usually gives me a piece of candy afterwards."

The long-term benefits will be even sweeter, said her doctor, Gregory Lux.

"Allergy shots are like a vaccination program," said Lux, a board-certified allergist working at St. John's allergy clinic. "It desensitizes you to things that cause your allergies."

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Inspire and FAES Farma said Wednesday they have signed a licensing deal on a new oral antihistamine for the U.S. and Canada markets.

The compound at the center of the development deal is bilastine, currently in phase 3 studies for the prevention of allergic rhinitis.

Under the terms of the agreement, Inspire has exclusive rights to develop and commercialize oral formulations of bilastine in the United States and Canada, as well as the exclusive right to develop and commercialize the ocular formulation in various markets worldwide.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- KFC announced Monday it will start cooking with zero trans-fat soybean oil next spring.The changeover is good news for most consumers, but how will it affect people with soybean allergies?"It's a more common one. It's not as common as milk or peanut (allergies)," said allergist Dr. James Wille.

Wille said a relatively small percentage of us are significantly allergic to soy and he can understand why those people don't like the KFC cooking oil switch."I would be a little concerned that this is a new product and I would certainly go cautiously or at least talk with your doctor," Wille said.

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A U.S. research team says it has identified an enzyme involved in allergic reactions, possibly providing a new target for the treatment of such maladies.

The scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York note allergic diseases such as asthma and hay fever afflict about 30 percent of people in the developed world -- and allergic reactions are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.

A research team has identified a key enzyme responsible for triggering a chain of events that results in allergic reaction, according to new study findings published online this week in Nature Immunology.

The work by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York sets the stage for development of new strategies and target therapies that control allergic disease – the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.

Allergic diseases such as asthma and hay fever are problematic for about 30 percent of the population in the developed world. Researchers have developed various treatments to control allergy, but no cure has been found.

AUSTRALIA - Taped to the wall of a child-care centre in inner-city Sydney is a four-page spreadsheet of children's allergies.

One little girl brings her own water and one little boy can drink only soy milk. There are three vegetarians and a handful of gluten-frees. One poor soul can't eat honey, strawberries, peanuts, eggs or sesame products.

It's a compelling snapshot of our itchy, scratchy nation, in which about 40 per cent of Australians have an allergic disease, including asthma, eczema, food allergies, and hay fever.

by Vincent A. DeLeo, Medscape, 24 Oct 2006

p-Phenylenediamine, the allergen of the year? Why now?

Granted, p-phenylenediamine (PPD) has been the leading permanent hair coloring agent or oxidative hair dye in most of the Western world since its introduction in the 1880s,[1] and it has been a problematic agent almost since its debut. Because of its allergic potential, it was banned in France and Germany from 1906 until the 1980s to 1990s, when it was again allowed for use in member states of the European Union.

So why now?