Allergy/immunology

From WikiMD's medical encyclopedia

Allergy and immunology is a branch of medicine that deals with allergies, including skin allergy, contact dermatitis, hey fever, allergic rhinitis, and immune deficiencies etc.

Another allergy skin testing
Another allergy skin testing

What are some common allergic disorders?

  • Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by episodes of airway narrowing and obstruction, causing wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
  • Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis), also known as eczema, is a non-contagious inflammatory skin condition. It is a chronic disease characterized by dry, itchy skin that can weep clear fluid when scratched. People with eczema also may be particularly susceptible to bacterial, viral, and fungal skin infections.
  • Food allergy is a condition that affects approximately 5 percent of children and 4 percent of adults in the United States. In a person with food allergy, the immune system reacts abnormally to a component of a food—sometimes producing a life-threatening response.

What are some common immunologic problems?

  • Autoimmune diseases include over 80 diseases occur as a result of the immune system attacking the body’s own organs, tissues, and cells.
  • Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS) is a rare genetic disorder of the immune system where unusually high numbers of white blood cells called lymphocytes accumulate in the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen and can lead to enlargement of these organs.
  • Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases (PIDDs) are rare, genetic disorders that impair the immune system. Without a functional immune response, people with PIDDs may be subject to chronic, debilitating infections which can increase the risk of developing cancer. Some PIDDs can be fatal.
  • STAT3 Dominant-Negative Disease—also known as autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES) or Job’s Syndrome—results from mutations in the gene that encodes a signaling protein called STAT3. People with this disease tend to have very high levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE), recurrent infections of the skin and lungs, recurrent bone fractures, unusually flexible joints, and inflamed skin.

List of Allergy/immunology doctors (USA)


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