Allergies

A man who received a liver transplant got a life-threatening nut allergy from the new organ, Australian doctors report. The organ had come from a 15-year-old boy who died of an allergic reaction to peanuts, the doctors reported in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine. Dr. Tri Giang Phan, an immunology specialist at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital who was involved in the case, said he knew of only one other report in medical literature of an allergy being passed on in an organ transplant.

A type of immune system cell that treats certain foods as germs rather than nourishment is the culprit behind many food allergies, Ohio researchers reported in the April issue of Nature Immunology. The finding could lead to better treatment for millions of people. Researchers used mice to pin the blame on white blood cells called eosinophils, which are packed with powerful proteins that, when released, destroy surrounding tissues and help rally other immune cells to infection sites.

French scientists have discovered two new drugs that appear to affect the natural production of histamines in rats, a development that they say could lead to new treatments for human allergies and cardiovascular disorders. The drugs have already helped them discover how the production of histamines are regulated by the brain, according to the researchers from the Centre Paul Broca de l'Inserme in Paris. Their report appears in the current issue of the British science journal Nature.

Biomerica Inc. said its Allergy Immuno Technologies Inc. unit has been issued a patent for a new method of treating allergies. In a press release, the company said the latest patent covers an invention under which an allergen--the material to which a patient is allergic--is combined with something called a biological response modifier. The patent covers a class of such modifiers. Biomerica said it plans to enter a "collaborative arrangement" with a drug company to use the invention.

Imagine breathing air without much dust, smoke or other pesky contaminants. Imagine coughing up thousands of dollars to do so. An expanding roster of companies are bringing out devices said to reduce the irritants in household air. The products are aimed at the growing number of people allergic to dust, molds and pets. At least a dozen firms tout expensive, high-tech air cleaners. Vacuum manufacturers are hawking powerful and costly machines said to suck up the smallest of contaminants.

If you're prone to seasonal allergies, your nose already knows: It's a bad year. Tree pollens are high, grass pollens are high and weed pollens are moderate, but don't get too excited--they're expected to get worse. Factor in the gale-force winds that have been blowing around Southern California this week, and you've got the perfect prescription for itchy eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat. "Winds can easily increase the pollen count fourfold," says Dr.

Few people get through life without the pain or discomfort of a sting by a bee, yellow jacket, hornet or wasp, and many of us are stung more than once. For those who are allergic to the insect venom, these seemingly minor encounters can cause serious, even life-threatening complications. Each of these types of insects can trigger an allergic reaction. Some people are allergic to the venom of several of these insects, others to only one or two.

The fire ant invasion that has reached Southern California could pose a health hazard for some people who may suffer severe allergic reactions or even death from an ant's sting, experts say. At least 40 people die in the United States each year from all kinds of insect sting anaphylaxis, according to allergy specialists. It is estimated that half the deaths are from fire ant stings, said Dr. Chester Stafford, a nationally recognized allergy expert at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

A UC San Francisco study published today casts doubt on the increasingly popular belief that many illnesses can be traced to foods, chemicals and environmental pollutants. The study, in the New England Journal of Medicine, disputes the scientific validity of one of the main diagnostic tools used by physicians who call themselves clinical ecologists or environmental doctors.