Samter’s triad is a respiratory intolerance to aspirin or salicylate-containing medication (such as non-steroidal antiinflammatories NSAI’s), that results in maturity onset asthma and polyps obstructing the nasal passages with exacerbations induced by the intake of salicylate (aspirin) containing medications. This group of medications reduce production of prostaglandins and pain, but may increase production of pro-inflammatory [...]
House Dust Mites are tiny spider-like 8-legged creatures called dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. They do not bite and are invisible to the naked eye being only 0.3 mm in length The adult mite lives about 6 weeks, lays 50 eggs and produce 20 faecal pellets per day, which contain the allergen Der P1 (a dermatophagoides digestive enzyme). [...]
Allergic reactions to stone fruits (apple, peach, cherry, nectarine etc) localised to the mouth, are common in Silver Birch tree pollen allergy and hay fever sufferers. This reaction is not related to chemicals pesticides or the manner in which the fruit is grown, for example organically grown fruits are just as likely to be problematic. [...]
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has released consultation guidelines for diagnosing and treating food allergy in children and young people. Although long overdue these guidelines are most welcome. This document released this month highlights that in Europe and North America 6 - 8% of children under 3 years suffer with some form [...]
Hen egg allergy is very common in infants with eczema and usually outgrown by age 6 with a few children retaining their egg allergy into adulthood. The egg white or albumin is more allergenic than the yolk and heat or cooking damages the allergen making it less allergenic. Some children will therefore tolerate cooked but [...]
Not all peanut allergy sufferes react in the same manner. Some will only have mild oral itching after eating a handful of peanuts, while others will have catastrophic anaphylaxis after minor exposure to airborne peanut allergen. Some peanut allergy sufferers will also have reactions to other seeds such as Sesame or tree nuts such as [...]
Mould or fungal spores contained in black mildew which grows both indoors in damp bathrooms, kitchens and cellars and outdoors on dead leaves particularly in autumn can trigger severe asthma and chronic rhino-sinusitis. The main fungal culprits namely Cladosporium and Aspergillus can trigger brittle and difficult to treat asthma as well as chronic sinusitis in [...]
Summer is here, it’s time for a sunny break abroad and perhaps a temporary tattoo which is very fashionable. But beware, temporary Henna tattoos done on unsuspecting holiday makers in tourist resorts can have a disfiguring long-term and even dangerous result. The usually harmless Henna-plant tattoo chemicals are often illegally darkened by unscrupulous vendors adding [...]
The Volcanic dust and ash cloud currently drifting over western Europe from Iceland is unlikely to cause any acute health risk or exacerbate allergies and asthma in the United Kingdom. Volcanic ash contains fine grains that may irritate the airways, as well as associated sulphur gas, but the amount that falls to earth and reaches ambient air [...]
The grass pollen hay fever season is fast approaching and those of you prescribed oral immunotherapy should have now commenced treatment at least 2 months before the summer season kicks off in May. For the rest of us, make sure you start taking antihistamine medication at least for a week before those innocent looking lawns [...]