Research About The Immune System Problems of Clinical Significance "Allergy"

St. Nicholas Academy of Castillejos, Inc.
San Juan, Castillejos, Zambales

S. Y. 2020-2021
Second Semester
Research About the Immune System Problems of Clinical Significance

“Allergy”
I. Description
Allergies arise when the immune system responds to a foreign material or food
that usually causes no reaction in most people, such as pollen, bee, or pet dust.
Antibodies are substances produced by your immune system. When you have allergies
the immune system produces antibodies that mistakenly mark a harmless allergen as
harmful. Your immune system's reaction to the allergen will inflame your
skin, sinuses, airways, or digestive system when you come into contact with it.
Allergies vary in severity from person to person and can range from mild discomfort
anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal emergency. Although most allergies cannot be healed,
there are treatments available.
An allergy is a sensitivity to a specific substance which causes a negative
bodily reaction, such as sneezing, wheezing, itching or difficulty breathing. These
stimuli act as antigens, provoking an immunological response involving the release of
inflammatory substances, such as histamine, in the body. Allergies may be innate or
acquired in genetically predisposed individuals. Common symptoms include sneezing,
itching, and skin rashes, though in some individuals symptoms can be severe.
Allergies are your body’s reaction to a substance it views as a harmful
“invader.” For example, coming into contact with what is normally a harmless
substance, such as pollen, might cause your immune system (your body’s defense
system) to react. Substances that cause these reactions are called allergens. If you are
prone to allergies, the first time you’re exposed to a specific allergen (such as pollen),
your body responds by producing allergic (IgE) antibodies. The job of these antibodies
is to find the allergens and help remove them from your system. As a result, a chemical
called histamine is released and causes symptoms of allergies. Most allergies are
inherited, which means they are passed on to children by their parents. People inherit a
tendency to be allergic, although not to any specific allergen. If your child develops an
allergy, it is very likely that you or your partner has allergies.
II. Clinical Manifestation
The symptoms of an allergic reaction can vary from mild to severe. If you
become exposed to an allergen for the first time, your symptoms may be mild. These
symptoms may get worse if you repeatedly come into contact with the allergen.
Allergy symptoms are classified as mild, moderate or severe:
 Mild reactions include local symptoms (affecting a specific area of your body) such
as a rash or hives, itchiness, watery/red eyes, hay fever and runny nose. Mild
reactions do not spread to other parts of your body.
 Moderate reactions include symptoms that spread to other parts of your body.
Symptoms may include itchiness, hives, and/or swelling and trouble breathing.
 A severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, is a rare, life-threatening
emergency in which your body’s response to the allergen is sudden and affects the
whole body. Anaphylaxis may begin with severe itching of your eyes or face.
Within minutes, more serious symptoms appear, including throat swelling (which
could cause problems with swallowing and breathing), abdominal
pain, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, hives and swelling (angioedema). You may also
have mental confusion or dizziness, since anaphylaxis may cause a drop in blood
pressure.
III. Brief Pathophysiology
For allergy to exist, allergen sensitisation must first occur. Antigen-presenting

cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells that are present in the mucosal surfaces
of the body, detect the allergen. This can occur in many ways, including inhalation into
the nose and lungs, through the skin and through the gastrointestinal tract.The antigen-
presenting cells come into contact with the allergen which, in people predisposed to
atopy, is perceived to be an invader. The allergen is then absorbed, processed and
displayed on the surface of the antigen-presenting cell. This cell then migrates to the T-
lymphocyte (T-cell) and presents the allergen, which then stimulates the B-cell to
produce antibodies specific to the allergen. These specific antibodies, IgE, are then
released, and attach themselves to high-affinity receptors on the surfaces of mast cells
in the mucosal surfaces and on basophils in the blood.
The precise causative factors of allergic diseases are not clear. It has been
proposed that some people are genetically prone to develop allergic diseases. When
these people encounter foreign antigens, dendritic cells capture and process the
antigens, transfer the antigen information to T helper (TH) cells, and a skewed immune
response is induced that resuts in a TH2 polarization status in the body. These antigen-
specific TH2 cells present the antigen information to B cells and drive these cells to
become plasma cells that produce antigen-specific IgE. This antigen-specific IgE
sensitizes mast cells by binding to the high-affinity IgE receptors on their surface.
When the sensitized mast cells are re-exposed to the specific antigens, they are
activated to release allergic mediators such as histamine, tryptase, leukotrines, and
serotonin, etc. that initiate allergic attacks. After the period of sensitisation described
above there is a period of latency, and on subsequent re-exposure to the allergen the
allergic response is triggered: allergen cross-links with the IgE on the surfaces of the
mast cell or basophil, causing the cell to ‘degranulate’ or release inflammatory
mediators. These include largely histamine and other mediators, including cysteinyl
leukotrienes, prostaglandins and kinins. They have different actions in terms of
symptoms in different organs.An understanding of the pathophysiology of allergic
disease is crucial in assisting in the management of allergic disease and symptoms.
A major breakthrough in understanding the mechanisms of allergy was the
discovery of the antibody class labeled immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgE was
simultaneously discovered in 1966–67 by two independent groups: Ishizaka's team at
the Children's Asthma Research Institute and Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and by
Gunnar Johansson and Hans Bennich in Uppsala, Sweden. Their joint paper was
published in April 1969.
IV Possible Treatment
Although avoiding the allergen is an important treatment approach, it usually
doesn’t completely end the allergic reaction. Medications such as antihistamines
(e.g., Allegra, Zyrtec), decongestants (eg, Sudafed, Contact), or a combination of over-
the-counter and prescription medications, are used to treat your allergy symptoms.
Nasal sprays such as topical nasal steroids (e.g., Flonase, Nasonex), cromolyn sodium,
and topical nasal antihistamines also can be used to treat allergy symptoms.
Asthma medications, which reduce allergy symptoms, include:

 Inhaled bronchodilators.
 Inhaled steroids.
 Oral bronchodilators (theophylline).
 Oral anti-leukotrienes (montelukast [Singulair], zafirlukast [Accolate] and zileuton
[Zyflo]).
 Injected medications, such as omalizumab (Xolair), dupilumab (Dupixent),
reslizumab (Cinqair), benralizumab (Fasenra), or Mepolizumab (Nucala).
 Immunotherapy (“allergy shot therapy”) or allergy oral immunotherapy is
recommended if your symptoms aren’t adequately controlled with a combination of
avoidance measures and regular medication use. This shot has been shown to be
effective in properly selected patients with allergic rhinitis and/or allergic asthma
.
Another treatment option is saline irrigation using a sinus rinse kit. These rinse
kits (e.g., Neilmed) are sold over-the-counter or can be made at home. To make your
own rinse, combine one-half teaspoon non-iodinated salt with one-half teaspoon
baking soda in eight ounces of distilled or boiled water. This mixture rinses out
allergens and decreases the amount of inflammation (edema) they cause.
Allergy skin testing may be used to identify the allergens that are causing your
allergy symptoms. The test is performed by pricking your skin with an extract of an
allergen, and then checking your skin’s reaction. If a skin test can’t be performed,
blood work may be obtained. This test is not as sensitive as a skin test. The test
evaluates the number of antibodies produced by your immune system. Higher levels of
certain antibodies suggest possible allergy to that allergen. Allergies can’t be cured, but
symptoms can be controlled using a combination of avoidance measures and
medications, as well as allergen immunotherapy in properly selected cases.

Research About The Immune System Problems of Clinical Significance "Allergy"

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Research About The Immune System Problems of Clinical Significance "Allergy"

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Research About The Immune System Problems of Clinical Significance "Allergy"

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

St. Nicholas Academy of Castillejos, Inc.

San Juan, Castillejos, Zambales

Research About the Immune System Problems of Clinical Significance

II. Clinical Manifestation

III. Brief Pathophysiology

For allergy to exist, allergen sensitisation must first occur. Antigen-presenting

Asthma medications, which reduce allergy symptoms, include:

You might also like