allergy

Also known as hypersensitivity, allergies, allergic disease, Immunologic diseases. Allergy, GO:0016068

An allergy is an exaggerated immune response where the body mistakenly identifies an ordinarily harmless allergen as a threat. Allergic reactions give rise to allergic diseases such as hay fever, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, and anaphylaxis. Symptoms of allergic diseases may include red eyes, an itchy rash, sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, shortness of breath, or swelling.

AI overview

An allergy is an exaggerated immune response in which your body mistakenly treats a harmless substance as a threat. Allergies matter because they can trigger various conditions—ranging from hay fever and itchy rashes to more serious reactions like asthma and anaphylaxis—that produce symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, breathing difficulty, and swelling.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Medical condition.name: Allergy
Medical condition.image: Hives2010.JPG
Medical condition.caption: Hives are a common allergic symptom.
Medical condition.field: Immunology
Medical condition.symptoms: Red eyes, itchy rash, vomiting, runny nose, shortness of breath, swelling, sneezing, and cough
Medical condition.types: Hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, allergic asthma, anaphylaxis
Medical condition.causes: Genetic and environmental factors
Medical condition.diagnosis: Based on symptoms, skin prick test, blood test
Medical condition.differential: Food intolerances, food poisoning
Medical condition.prevention: Early exposure to potential allergens
Medical condition.treatment: Avoiding known allergens, medications, allergen immunotherapy
Medical condition.medication: Steroids, antihistamines, epinephrine, mast cell stabilizers, antileukotrienes
Medical condition.frequency: Common
Occupation.name: Allergist/Immunologist
Occupation.official_names: Physician
Occupation.type: Specialty
Occupation.activity_sector: Medicine
Occupation.formation: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Doctor of Osteopathic medicine (D.O.) Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.B.S.) Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: Skintest2.jpg

Show 5 more facts

Commons category: Allergies
ICPC 2 ID: A92
NCI Thesaurus ID: C3114
Commons gallery: Allergy
exact match: purl.obolibrary.org/obo/DOID_1205

Sources (11)

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~50 min read

Article

37 sections

Contents

Signs and symptoms
Skin
Cause
Dust mites
Foods
Latex
Medications
Insect stings
Toxins interacting with proteins
Genetics
Hygiene hypothesis
Stress
Other environmental factors
Pathophysiology
Acute response
Late-phase response
Allergic contact dermatitis
Diagnosis
Skin prick testing
Patch testing
Blood testing
Other testing
Differential diagnosis
Prevention
Management
Medication
Immunotherapy
Alternative medicine
Epidemiology
Changing frequency
History
Diagnosis
Medical specialty
Research
See also
References
External links

Common allergens include pollen, certain foods, metals, insect stings, medications, and materials, such as latex. The development of allergies is due to genetic and environmental factors. The mechanism of allergic reactions involves immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE) binding to an allergen and then to a receptor on mast cells or basophils, where they trigger the release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine. Diagnosis is typically based on a person's medical history. Further testing of the skin or blood may be useful in certain cases. Positive tests, however, may not necessarily mean there is a significant allergy to the substance in question.