An allergy can refer to several kinds of immune reactions including Type I hypersensitivity in which a person's body is hypersensitised and develops IgE type antibodies to typical proteins. When a person is hypersensitised, these substances are known as allergens. The word allergy derives from the Greek words allos meaning "other" and ergon meaning "work". Type I hypersensitivity is characterised by excessive activation of mast cells and basophils by immunoglobulin E resulting in a systemic inflammatory response that can result in symptoms as benign as a runny nose, to life-threatening anaphylactic shock and death.

Allergy is a very common disorder and more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, costing the health care system $18 billion annually (Allergy statistics).

History

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The term and concept of "allergy" was coined by a Viennese pediatrician named Clemens von Pirquet in 1906 ^*. He observed that the symptoms of some of his patients might have been a response to outside allergens such as dust, pollen, or certain foods. For a long time all hypersensitivities were thought to stem from the improper action of inflammatory immunoglobulin class IgE, however it soon became clear that several different mechanisms utilizing different effector molecules were responsible for the myriad of disorders previously classified as "allergies". A new four-class (now five) classification scheme was designed by P. G. H. Gell and R. R. A. Coombs. Allergy has since been kept as the name for Type I Hypersensitivity, characterised by classical IgE mediation of effects.

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Allergies - Twitter Search

since when is allergies a disability?
_laJada (la Jada..) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:21:03 -0000
since when is allergies a disability?
@NYCgirlygirl72 ...my allergies are kicking my butt this season but I hope u feel better
Msbronx82 (Jennifer Rowzee) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:18:33 -0000
@NYCgirlygirl72 ...my allergies are kicking my butt this season but I hope u feel better
RT @bluelotuscakes M&S's list of products that are suitable for vegans, vegetarians and anyone with allergies http://tiny.cc/d8IZm
hypnotyst (Lauren) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:18:15 -0000
RT @bluelotuscakes M&S's list of products that are suitable for vegans, vegetarians and anyone with allergies http://tiny.cc/d8IZm
@adinanoel nope. I'm actually suffering from allergies. I. Hate. Ragweed. X.x
tripsonsunlight (Ashleigh Butt) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:16:01 -0000
@adinanoel nope. I'm actually suffering from allergies. I. Hate. Ragweed. X.x
Feeling like crap. I hate allergies!!!!
patricicapass (Patty Higdon) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:15:46 -0000
Feeling like crap. I hate allergies!!!!
M&S's list of products that are suitable for vegans, vegetarians and anyone with allergies http://tiny.cc/d8IZm
bluelotuscakes (chetna parmar) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:12:50 -0000
M&S's list of products that are suitable for vegans, vegetarians and anyone with allergies http://tiny.cc/d8IZm

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