News Brief: According to a study being presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta, November 6-10, increased levels of asthma and allergic rhinitis (hay fever) were found in children in India who were exposed to more indoor pollutants.
An allergic response to a medication for allergies can often go undiagnosed. A presentation at the ACAAI Annual Meeting sheds light on adverse responses to topical skin preparations; helps identify patients who are hypersensitive to antihistamines, and identifies allergic responses to various drugs used in the treatment of asthma.
If you find yourself sneezing and rubbing your eyes as you air out your home, turn on the heat for the first time or head outside to rake leaves, you’re not alone.
Ghosts, skeletons, zombies and vampires will emerge this Halloween to strike fear into the hearts of trick-or-treaters, all in good fun. But for some children, one of Halloween’s most exciting traditions presents an issue that can strike true terror into the hearts of their parents—food allergies
The Gottlieb Allergy Count pollen and mold reporting season ended on October 15, 2014 and founder Joseph Leija, MD, retired allergist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, offers a look back at this year.
In rare cases, patients with allergies to metals develop persistent skin rashes after metal devices are implanted near the skin. New research suggests these patients may be at increased risk of an unusual and aggressive form of skin cancer.
Each year, 36 million people with chronic congestion and runny noses seek treatment from their primary care physicians. Without a way for doctors to easily distinguish viral from bacterial infections, more than half of patients will end up getting antibiotics for an infection that they don’t actually have. The invention of a rapid, in-office test, based on bacterial biomarkers, could help physicians identify the infections that need antibiotics while helping reduce the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Medications are the leading cause of allergy-related sudden deaths in the U.S., according to an analysis of death certificates from 1999 to 2010, conducted by researchers at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The study, published online today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, also found that the risk of fatal drug-induced allergic reactions was particularly high among older people and African-Americans and that such deaths increased significantly in the U.S. in recent years.
A University of Florida food scientist has removed 80 percent of allergens from whole peanuts, moving him a step closer to eliminating 99.9 percent of peanut allergens.
The American Academy of Dermatology’s (Academy) newly updated guideline of care for the management of adult and pediatric atopic dermatitis focuses on the management and control of the condition, the co-existence of allergic disease, and the use of alternative approaches to supplement medical therapies. Published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, this evidence-based guideline is the final section of a four-part series on the care and management of atopic dermatitis developed by dermatologists who are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
If you have a child with egg allergies, you may have been told they shouldn’t get the shot because of a possible reaction to the trace amounts of egg in the vaccine. Not true, says the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). Recent research has shown that administration of the flu vaccine is safe for kids with egg allergies.
CINCINNATI - Researchers have found that environment has a much stronger role than genetics in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a severe, often painful food allergy that renders children unable to eat a wide variety of foods.
People with food allergies always have to watch what they eat. Now, they may have to watch what their fruits and vegetables eat, as it seems it’s possible to have an allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in food.
The presence of Clostridia, a common class of gut bacteria, protects against food allergies, a new study in mice finds. The discovery points toward probiotic therapies for this so-far untreatable condition
The heavy rains, hot temperatures and high dew point have triggered an air quality alert for dangerous levels of mold in the Midwest. “The interior mold exposure for homes experiencing flooding or water seepage will be even more toxic,” warns Joseph Leija, MD, allergist who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official daily allergy count for the Midwest.
A popular legume used in other countries is showing up in more U.S. gluten-free products. A Kansas State University food safety specialist explains why people with peanut and soybean allergies need to be cautious.
A dangerous air quality alert was called today for the second day in a row due to the extremely high count for mold detected in the Gottlieb Allergy Count. “Today’s mold count is over the 50,000 threshold for an air quality alert but not as high as yesterday’s 80,000 count,” says Joseph Leija, MD, who created the Gottlieb Allergy Count at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, located outside Chicago. The Gottlieb Allergy Count is the official allergy count for the Midwest.
Midwesterners with allergies will be feeling low due to the unusually high allergen counts. A dangerous air quality alert was called today due to the extremely high count for mold detected in the Gottlieb Allergy Count.
Already known for their higher-than-usual risk of asthma and environmental allergies, young inner-city children appear to suffer disproportionately from food allergies as well, according to results of a study led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
Already known for their higher-than-usual risk of asthma and environmental allergies, young inner-city children appear to suffer disproportionately from food allergies as well, according to results of a study led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
A dangerous air quality alert was called today due to the extremely high count for mold detected in the Gottlieb Allergy Count. “Today’s mold count is the highest for the 2014 recording season,” said Joseph Leija, MD, who created the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official allergy count for the Midwest. The Gottlieb Allergy Count today is: trees - low, mold - very high (dangerous air alert status), grass - moderate and weeds - moderate. “The mold count was 53,000 today, well over the 50,000 threshold that triggers a high alert warning,” Dr. Leija said. How will this affect allergy sufferers?
Sharpened pencils: check; notebooks and paper: check; school schedule: check. As a parent, this check list may seem familiar to you. It is a clear indication that back-to-school season is here and that means preparing your child for the school year as best as you can. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is helping you and your child finalize the list by providing top 10 expert tips on keeping your child healthy and safe all year round.
Researchers have identified genetic variants that are associated with severe adverse skin reactions to the antiepileptic drug phenytoin, according to a study in the August 6 issue of JAMA.
ater summer triggers ragweed allergies in 10 to 20 percent of Americans and today spells misery for those with sensitive systems. Ragweed pollen was reported for the first time in the 2014 allergy reporting season, causing a pollen vortex of sneezing, itching and headaches for Midwesterners. “The ragweed pollen is showing up about one week earlier this year than last year,” says Joseph Leija, MD, who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official count of the Midwest. “With the high mold count and moderate weed count, the presence of ragweed will make breathing difficult for many.”
Harvard researchers find that a single bout of stress during pregnancy can affect allergy and asthma susceptibility in neonates. The article is published in AJP – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology and was chosen one of this month’s APSselect articles which highlight the "best of the best" research published in APS Journals.
Backpacks. Crayons. Glue Sticks. Epipen? For more and more school-age children the Epipen is becoming a necessity for completing the back-to-school supply list. In fact, allergic conditions are one of the most common medical conditions affecting children in the U.S.
For parents of kids who have asthma and allergies, getting them ready to head back to school sometimes requires meetings with school administrators, teachers and nurses to develop a plan to ensure avoidance of triggers, and safe studying and eating.
For the millions of adults and children in the U.S. who have to shun nuts to avoid an allergic reaction, help could be on the way. Scientists are now developing a way to process cashews — and potentially other nuts — that could make them safer for people who are allergic to them. They’re presenting their work at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.
University of Iowa researchers have created a vaccine for dust-mite allergies. In lab tests and animal trials, the nano-sized vaccine package was readily absorbed by immune cells and dramatically lowered allergic responses. Results appear in the AAPS Journal.
Tips on how to handle fall allergies. Many people don’t realize that although ragweed-induced hay fever strikes around mid-August, they need to start taking their allergy medication two weeks before it hits, and keep taking it until two weeks after the first frost.
At 45,000, the Gottlieb Allergy Count for mold spores is very close to the 50,000 threshold signaling a dangerous air quality alert. “The extreme humidity coupled with the hot temperatures and rain have created a soupy environment that is causing serious distress for those with mold allergies and asthma,” says Joseph Leija, MD, who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official count of the Midwest. “It’s like having a hot, wet towel over your face all the time for many with sensitive systems.
Activities surrounding the 4th of July can create health hazards for those who suffer from allergies and asthma. Smoke from fireworks can make it hard for those with asthma to breathe, and certain fresh fruits and vegetables can create an allergy-like reaction for people with hay fever.
A new study in the July issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology examined 305 caregivers of children allergic to milk, egg, peanut or tree nut. The researchers were surprised to discover that milk and eggs, not peanuts, were the largest source of anxiety and worry.
When it comes to controlling hay fever-triggering ragweed plants on Detroit vacant lots, occasional mowing is worse than no mowing at all, and promoting reforestation might be the best solution.
A mechanism that could underlie the development of cells that drive asthma and allergies has been uncovered by immunology researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Summer allergies can cause severe symptoms for some sufferers, and can be just as bad as the spring and fall seasons. Some unusual symptoms can leave you looking like you lost a round in a boxing ring.
Infants exposed to a diverse range of bacterial species in house dust during the first year of life appear to be less likely to develop asthma in early childhood, according to a new study published online on June 6, 2014, in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Infants exposed to rodent and pet dander, roach allergens and a wide variety of household bacteria in the first year of life appear less likely to suffer from allergies, wheezing and asthma, according to results of a study conducted by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and other institutions.
The official allergy count for the Midwest today recorded the highest count for mold in the 2014 allergy recording season. “The mold count is around 30,000 which is high but not at air quality alert status, which is 50,000,” says Joseph Leija, MD, who created the Gottlieb Allergy Count at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, located outside Chicago. “The daily rains coupled with the warm, humid weather have created the perfect environment for mold.”
A new study in the June issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology examines the risks of e-cigarettes, including the ongoing dependence on nicotine, as well as the dangers of the dual use of e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes.
A dangerous air quality alert was called today due to the extremely high count for weeds detected in the Gottlieb Allergy Count. “Today’s weed count is the highest I have recorded in the two decades of performing the official allergy count for the Midwest,” says Joseph Leija, MD, who created the Gottlieb Allergy Count at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, located outside Chicago. The Gottlieb Allergy Count today is Trees High, Mold High, Grass Moderate and Weeds Very High, dangerous air quality alert status.
Outdoor pollen might have you running for cover behind closed windows and doors, but allergists at Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center say indoor allergens are just as much trouble. One expert discusses 3 allergy misconceptions that could be making things worse.
Children delivered by cesarean section and those given antibiotics during early infancy appear more prone to developing allergic inflammation of the esophagus — the muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach — according to results of a study by investigators from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and Harvard Medical School.
Tree, Mold, Grass and Weed pollen were reported for the first time in the 2014 allergy reporting season, causing a pollen vortex of sneezing, itching and headaches for Midwesterners. “In March, I predicted a pollen vortex and unfortunately it is here. All pollens except ragweed are now simultaneously at recordable levels triggering reactions in those with sensitive breathing systems,” says Joseph Leija, MD, who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official count of the Midwest. “And the heavy rains symbolic of spring do not cleanse but instead trap the pollen and make breathing worse for many.” Typical pollen seasons are: Trees in March to May; Grass in May to June; Weeds and Ragweed in mid-August to October and Mold all season long depending on dampness.
The warm weather brings the urge to open the windows and start cleaning out the closets, but for allergy suffers the spring cleaning bug can be miserable.
Allergy and asthma are national epidemics that are on the rise, affecting more than 76 million Americans. But what many people don’t know is these two conditions go hand-in-hand, many asthma sufferers also have an allergy. To help children and adults with symptoms of asthma and allergy know if they are at risk, allergists from around the country will be holding the 18th annual Nationwide Asthma Screening Program.
With the cold weather extending into the spring, the allergy season will likely be more intense.
RSS
Medicine keyboard_arrow_right
Sciencekeyboard_arrow_right
Life keyboard_arrow_right
Business keyboard_arrow_right
Journal News keyboard_arrow_right
By Location keyboard_arrow_right
Meetings, Grants, and Events keyboard_arrow_right