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News items on 'Allergic Disorders'
Scots more allergic than English
(The Scotsman 10/10/2009)
ALLERGIC diseases such as eczema, asthma and hay fever are costing the NHS in Scotland a staggering £130 million a year. One in three of the Scottish population is affected by allergies at some point in their lives, compared with one in four in England, according to a major study published in the latest issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. One of the experts involved in the research claimed that the clinical provision in Scotland for the treatment of allergies was "lamentable".
Gut worms protect against allergy
(BBC 27/09/2009)
Parasitic gut worms, such as hookworm, might aid the development of new treatments for asthma and other allergies, a study in Vietnam suggests. Infection with hookworm and other parasitic worms is endemic in Vietnam, but rates of asthma and other allergies are low. British and Vietnamese scientists gave local children treatment to clear their body of worms. They found this led to an increase in dust mite allergy among the children.
Infection-allergy link questioned
(BBC 08/09/2009)
The notion of exposing young children to infections in a bid to protect them from later allergies is wrong, latest research suggests. The decades-old "hygiene hypothesis" holds that early exposure to microbes somehow challenges the immune system and strengthens it against allergies. Studies have shown children exposed to bugs by older siblings or attending nursery cut their future allergy risk. But new work published by the American Thoracic Society casts doubt on this.
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Cancer risk warning over candles made from paraffin wax
(The Scotsman 20/08/2009)
Burning paraffin wax candles is an unrecognised source of indoor pollution, say scientists. They include harmful substances such as toluene and benzene - known to cause cancer. Candle emissions could also irritate the lungs and trigger asthma attacks - and some cases of indoor allergy may actually be a response to inhaling candle fumes, it was claimed. People who frequently used candles, for instance to help them relax in the bath or provide the right ambience at dinner, were most at risk.
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'In minutes my neck doubled in size and I had hives all over my body'
(The Scotsman 19/07/2009)
FOR the parents of a child with a nut allergy, every shopping trip requires extra vigilance to avoid the danger of a serious reaction. Mhairi Aitken, from Forfar, Angus, was just three when her parents found out she had a serious allergy to nuts. I tried a peanut and within a few minutes my lips went really puffy, my neck doubled in size and I had hives all over my body. "I was just really sleepy and my breathing was difficult as well. "My mum and dad did not know what was happening."
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Hair dye allergy left woman looking like 'Elephant Woman'
(Telegraph 17/06/2009)
Paula Pratt, 38, struggled to breathe when her neck swelled up "like a rugby ball" and her bloated face left her temporarily blind when her eyelids closed over. The horrific reaction was caused by a £5 Clairol 'Nice n' Easy' permanent dye, which she had used to turn her greying hair a chocolate brown. Married Paula says she followed the instructions on the box to the letter. She was taken to A&E where doctors managed to stop the swelling with a course of steroids and antihistamine tablets.
Eczema's link to asthma uncovered
(BBC 24/05/2009)
Scientists believe they have found what triggers many children with eczema to go on to develop asthma. The Public Library of Science Biology study points to a way to stop what is known as the "atopic march". The US team at the Washington University School of Medicine showed that a substance made by the damaged skin triggered asthma symptoms in mice. The same substance, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), is also produced in the lungs of asthma patients.
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Could hygienic living be making us more sick?
(World health - EU Monitor 22/04/2009)
Research on mice shows that those carrying the most lice had calmer immune systems than uninfested rodents, and they said their finding may have implications for studying the causes of asthma and allergies in people. The study, published in the BioMed Central journal BMC Biology, adds to evidence supporting the so-called hygiene hypothesis, which holds that the rise in asthma and allergies can be linked to hyper-clean living.
Fruit and veg allergies soaring
(BBC 15/04/2009)
Cases of oral allergies to fruit and vegetables are rapidly increasing, according to a British specialist. Dr Pamela Ewan, an allergy consultant at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, said the rise in cases appears to be outstripping even peanut allergies. Dr Ewan, who sees more than 8,000 people with allergies a year, said most patients with reactions to fruit and vegetables were youngsters. Symptoms include swelling in the mouth and throat, and breathing difficulties.
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