Immunodermatology

Immunodermatology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the study of skin as an organ of immunity in health and disease. This field of study is primarily concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders, including autoimmune diseases, allergies, and skin cancer.

Overview

Immunodermatology studies skin as an organ of immunity in health and disease. Several areas have special attention, such as photo-immunology (effects of UV light on skin defense), inflammatory diseases such as Hidradenitis suppurativa, allergic contact dermatitis and atopic eczema, presumably autoimmune skin diseases such as vitiligo and psoriasis, and finally the immunology of microbial skin diseases such as retrovirus infections and leprosy. New therapies in development for the immunomodulation of common immunological skin diseases include biologicals aimed at neutralizing TNF-alfa and chemokine receptor inhibitors.

History

The field of immunodermatology has its roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when scientists first began to understand the role of the immune system in disease. The development of immunofluorescence, immunoelectron microscopy, and immunoblotting, and the use of monoclonal antibodies have allowed clinicians to make precise diagnoses of skin diseases.

Clinical Applications

Immunodermatology testing is essential for the correct diagnosis and treatment of many diseases affecting epithelial organs including skin, mucous membranes, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Several methods are used for studying the cutaneous immune response, with the most common methods being direct and indirect immunofluorescence techniques.

See Also

• Dermatology
• Immunology
• Skin Diseases
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Allergies
• Skin Cancer

References

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