ABC of allergies: Good allergy practice

ABC of allergies. Good allergy practice.

Allergic diseases result from an exaggerated response of the immune system to external substances. They are a common and increasing cause of illness and in Britain affect about 1 in 6 of the population. The annual cost to the NHS and the Department of Health for asthma alone is in excess of £750m. Although the public is concerned that the NHS has inadequate facilities for diagnosing and treatin...

Allergies in Asia: are we facing an allergy epidemic?

Asia is the world’s most populous region consisting of highly diverse populations with respect to ancestry and cultural background. It may not be obvious at the outset, but this region is probably an important resource for lessons in allergic disorders. With growing affluence and westernization, the global trends in allergic diseases have increased at tandem, albeit at different rates. In the 1...

Sulfa Allergy: Cross-reactivity versus Multiple Concurrent Allergies

As a medical resident we have always been taught that there is some sort of cross reactivity between sulfonamide antibiotics and nonantibiotic sulfonamides. Even the manufacturer’s package inserts contain a precautionary statement about possible Cross-reactivity. The most common approach to this problem is avoidance of all sulfa containing drugs. However, there are few data supporting this cont...

Allergy to Uncommon Pets: New Allergies but the Same Allergens

The prevalence of exotic pet allergies has been increasing over the last decade. Years ago, the main allergy-causing domestic animals were dogs and cats, although nowadays there is an increasing number of allergic diseases related to insects, rodents, amphibians, fish, and birds, among others. The current socio-economic situation, in which more and more people have to live in small apartments, ...

Good Scientific Practice (gsp) and Good Clinical Practice (gcp)